Elena Ramirez-Maldonado

Dr. Elena Ramirez-Maldonado


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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29 March 2025 in Medicina
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SGSandra López Gordo
Sandra López Gordo
ERElena Ramirez-Maldonado
Elena Ramirez-Maldonado
MFMaria Teresa Fernández-Planas
Maria Teresa Fernández-Planas
EBErnest Bombuy
Ernest Bombuy
RMRobert Memba
Robert Memba
RJRosa Jorba-Martin
Rosa Jorba-Martin
Acute pancreatitis (AP) presents a significant clinical challenge due to its wide range of severity, from mild cases to life-threatening complications such as severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), necrosis, and multi-organ failure. Traditional scoring systems, such as Ranson and BISAP, offer foundational tools for risk stratification but often lack early precision. This review aims to explore the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in AP management, focusing on their applications in diagnosis, severity prediction, complication management, and treatment optimization. A comprehensive analysis of recent studies was conducted, highlighting ML models such as XGBoost, neural networks, and multimodal approaches. These models integrate clinical, laboratory, and imaging data, including radiomics features, and are useful in diagnostic and prognostic accuracy in AP. Special attention was given to models addressing SAP, complications like acute kidney injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome, mortality, and recurrence. AI-based models achieved higher AUC values than traditional models in predicting acute pancreatitis outcomes. XGBoost reached an AUC of 0.93 for early SAP prediction, higher than BISAP (AUC 0.74) and APACHE II (AUC 0.81). PrismSAP, integrating multimodal data, achieved the highest AUC of 0.916. AI models also demonstrated superior accuracy in mortality prediction (AUC 0.975) and ARDS detection (AUC 0.891) AI and ML represent a transformative advance in AP management, facilitating personalized treatment, early risk stratification, and allowing resource utilization to be optimized. By addressing challenges such as model generalizability, ethical considerations, and clinical adoption, AI has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes and redefine AP care standards globally.

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
ERElena Ramirez-Maldonado
Elena Ramirez-Maldonado
SGSandra López Gordo
Sandra López Gordo
RBRui Pedro Major Branco
Rui Pedro Major Branco
MPMihai-Calin Pavel
Mihai-Calin Pavel
LELaia Estalella
Laia Estalella
RJRosa Jorba-Martin
Rosa Jorba-Martin
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma contributes significantly to global cancer-related deaths, featuring only a 10% survival rate over five years. The quest for novel tumor markers is critical to facilitate early diagnosis and tailor treatment strategies for this disease, which is key to improving patient outcomes. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, these markers have been demonstrated to play a crucial role in early identification, continuous monitoring, and prediction of its prognosis and have led to better patient outcomes. Nowadays, biopsy specimens serve to ascertain diagnosis and determine tumor type. However, liquid biopsies present distinct advantages over conventional biopsy techniques. They offer a noninvasive, easily administered procedure, delivering insights into the tumor’s status and facilitating real-time monitoring. Liquid biopsies encompass a variety of elements, such as circulating tumor cells, circulating tumor DNA, extracellular vesicles, microRNAs, circulating RNA, tumor platelets, and tumor endothelial cells. This review aims to provide an overview of the clinical applications of liquid biopsy as a technique in the management of pancreatic cancer.

30 June 2025 in Cancers
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SGSandra López Gordo
Sandra López Gordo
JJJaime Jimeno
Jaime Jimeno
AGAnna García-Monferrer
Anna García-Monferrer
PNPau Nicolau
Pau Nicolau
NRNeus Ruiz-Edo
Neus Ruiz-Edo
CSCristina Serra-Serra
Cristina Serra-Serra
Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), although increasingly less necessary, is still required in specific breast cancer surgery scenarios, such as cases with a high axillary tumor burden. However, traditional practices are being reassessed due to the associated morbidity and impacts on recovery. This review explores five critical and controversial innovations in ALND: (1) same-day discharge, (2) omission of surgical drains, (3) application of fibrin sealants, (4) minimally invasive techniques, and (5) their collective influence on quality of life (QoL). Same-day discharge has proven to be safe and cost-effective, increasing patient satisfaction without raising complication rates. The omission of drains, while slightly increasing seroma volumes, is linked to shorter hospital stays and fewer complications. The use of fibrin sealants shows promising results in reducing the seroma volume and duration, expediting recovery, although their routine use remains under debate. Minimally invasive and endoscopic techniques reduce morbidity and improve cosmetic outcomes while maintaining oncological safety. Quality of life (QoL) is essential in the evaluation of breast cancer treatment and is evaluated using tools such as EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-BR23, and FACT-B, SF-36, which assess physical, emotional, and psychosocial recovery. Innovations in ALND seem to improve QoL by minimizing pain, increasing arm function, and reducing psychological stress, underscoring the importance of patient-centered strategies. Although axillary lymphadenectomy increases arm morbidity compared to sentinel node biopsy, its overall impact on quality of life appears limited, likely due to the overlapping effects of systemic therapies and breast surgery.

30 April 2025 in Preprints.org
Verified
Preprint
Open access
PDF file
SGSandra López Gordo
Sandra López Gordo
JJJaime Jimeno
Jaime Jimeno
AGAnna G-Monferrer
Anna G-Monferrer
PNPau Nicolau
Pau Nicolau
NRNeus Ruiz-Edo
Neus Ruiz-Edo
CSCristina Serra-Serra
Cristina Serra-Serra
Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), although increasingly less necessary, is still required in specific breast cancer surgery scenarios, such as cases with a high axillary tumor burden. However, traditional practices are being reassessed due to associated morbidity and impacts on recovery. This review explores five critical and controversial innovations in ALND: (1) same-day discharge, (2) omission of surgical drains, (3) application of fibrin sealants, (4) minimally invasive techniques, and (5) their collective influence on quality of life (QoL). Same-day discharge has proven to be safe and cost-effective, increasing patient satisfaction with-out raising complication rates. Omission of drains, while slightly increasing seroma volumes, is linked to shorter hospital stays and fewer complications. The use of fibrin sealants shows promising results in reducing seroma volume and duration, expediting recovery, although their routine use remains under debate. Minimally invasive and endoscopic techniques reduce morbidity and improve cosmetic outcomes while maintaining oncological safety. Quality of life (QoL), is essential in the evaluation of breast cancer treatment, it is evaluated using tools such as EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-BR23, FACT-B, SF-36, which assess physical, emotional, and psychosocial recovery. Innovations in ALND seem to improve QoL by minimizing pain, increasing arm function, and reducing psychological stress, underscoring the importance of patient-centered strategies. Although axillary lymphadenectomy increases arm morbidity compared to sentinel node biopsy, its overall impact on quality of life appears limited, likely due to the overlapping effects of systemic therapies and breast surgery.