Update Your ProfileAcademic Title:
Associate Professor
Primary Appointment:
Medicine
Location:
VAMC, 5D134
Education and Training
MD: Medicine, Demokritos University of Thrace, Greece
Research fellow: Endocrinology, Beth Israel Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, MA
Research fellow: Endocrinology, Milton Hershey Medical Center, Penn State University, PA
Resident: Medicine, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Tufts University, MA
Post Doc Fellow: Endocrinology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins University, MD
Assistant Professor: Medicine and Endocrinology, Baltimore Veterans Administrative Medical Center, University of Maryland, MD
Biosketch
My research focus in using technology in order to advance care among patients with diabetes. I am involved in epidemiological studies examining data from the VINCI (VA Informatics and Computing Infrastructure) database evaluating the mortality and readmission rates in hospitalized veterans with DM. I also lead the VA Inpatient Diabetes Management Committee, with a goal to improve the quality of care in hospitalized patients with Diabetes Mellitus, which aligns with my current research focus.
I have an extensive clinical and research experience using Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices. We have published first the development of a novel glucose monitoring system in the inpatient setting, a system that we call Glucose Telemetry System (GTS). This system allows the wireless transmission of glucose values from the CGM to a monitoring device that is placed in the nursing station. I am also conducting clinical trials to examine the effectiveness of GTS in hospitalized patients with diabetes. If our hypothesis is correct, the proposed clinical trial may lead to wider use of GTS/CGM devises among hospitalized patients with DM and may alter the way that we manage hospitalized patients with DM especially among those who at a higher risk for hypoglycemia - similar to the way that we monitor with cardiac telemetry high risk for arryhmia patients.
Research/Clinical Keywords
Inpatient Management of Diabetes, Hyperglycemia, Hypoglycemia, Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Devices.
Highlighted Publications
Complete List of Published Work in My Bibliography:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1tyqvlAwtGQA2/bibliography/public/
Research Interests
My research interest focus in diabetes and technology. I am interested in using novel technologies with a goal to improve the quality and safety of patients with DM, either in the inpatient or the outpatient setting. Our group reported the first successful case of Real Time CGM use in a hospitalized patient with type 1 DM. We also reported first the development of a novel system, that allows the wireless transmission of glucose values in a monitoring device that is located in the nursing station, a system that we named “Glucose Telemetry System” .
a) Spanakis EK, Umpierrez GE, Siddiqui T, Zhan M, Snitker S, Fink JC, Sorkin JD. Association of glucose concentrations at hospital discharge with readmissions and mortality: A nationwide cohort study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019 May 1. [Epub ahead of print] (PMID: 31042288)
b) Wang M, Singh LG, Spanakis EK. Advancing the Use of CGM Devices in a Non-ICU Setting. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2019 Jan 13: 30636449
c) Levitt DL, Silver KD, Spanakis EK. Mitigating Severe Hypoglycemia by Initiating Inpatient Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Case Report.Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology.2017; 11(2):440-441. (PMID 27543272)
d) Levitt DL, Silver KD, Spanakis EK. Inpatient Continuous Glucose Monitoring and Glycemic Outcomes. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. 2017 Mar 1 (PMID: 28290224)
e) Levitt DL, Spanakis EK, Ryan KA, Silver KD. Insulin Pump and Continuous Glucose Monitor Initiation in Hospitalized Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2018 Jan 2. doi: 10.1089/dia.2017.0250. [Epub ahead of print]
f) Spanakis EK, Levitt DL, Siddiqui T, Singh LG, Pinault L, Sorkin J, Umpierrez GE, Fink JC. The effect of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Preventing Inpatient Hypoglycemia in General Wards: The Glucose Telemetry System. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. 2018 Jan;12(1):20-25
Clinical Specialty Details
Board certified in Internal Medicine.
Board certified in Endocrinology
Expertise in Diabetes and Technology, Inpatient Diabetes Management, General Endocrinology
Awards and Affiliations
2009: Permanent Resident/ Green Card Holder through self-sponsorship (National Interest Waiver/ EB2 category)
2010: Oral Presentation Award, 19th Annual Meeting, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 2010, Boston, MA
2010-2011: Teaching Award for Medical Students, Tufts University School of Medicine
2011: "George L. Tully, III" Medical Educator Award, St Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Tufts University, Boston, MA
2012: Presidential Poster Contest Award, 94th Endocrine Society Meeting, Houston, TX
2019 Gold Prize Student Research Award, 19th Diabetes Science Technology Meting, Bethesda, 2019. Recipient: Maria Vasiloglou, PhD student. (Collaborating project with University of Bern, Switzerland)
2019 Best Research Mentor Award, University of Maryland, Endocrinology,Diabetes and Nutrition Division
Grants and Contracts
Current Grants
CX001825 Spanakis (PI) 07/01/2018-06/30/2023
VA MERIT
“Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Insulin Treated Hospitalized Veterans with DM2 at higher risk for hypoglycemia.”
The major goals of this project are to examine whether an innovative glucose monitoring system in the inpatient setting, a system that we named it Glucose Telemetry System (GTS), can decrease hypoglycemia in high risk DM2 veterans and improve clinical outcomes.
Professional Activity
Professional Society Membership
2010 AACE
2012-present The Endocrine Society
2013-present American Diabetes Association
Administrative Service
Institutional Service
2014-current Member (primary or alternate), School of Medicine Council of University of Maryland
2014-current Member, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Nutrition Division Grand Rounds Planning Committee
2016-current Inpatient Diabetes Management Committee Baltimore VA Medical Center
2015-current Member, University of Maryland Endocrine Fellows Clinical Competency Committee (ACGME), University of Maryland School of Medicine
2018-current Affiliate Member, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC)
2019-current Alternate Member, Research and Development Committee VA Maryland Health Care System
2019-current Affiliate Member, Center for Research on Aging UMB
National Service
2011 American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, Publications/Guidelines Committee
2014 American Diabetes Association, Endocrine Fellows Advisory Group Committee
2017 Guest Editor, Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology (Diabetes Technology in the Hospital)
2018 Diabetes Technology Society/FDA Precertification Program Summit for
“Software as a Medical Device”
2019-current VHA (National) Diabetes Technology Committee
2019-current VHA (National) Inpatient Diabetes Management Committee
Manuscript reviewer-Ad Hoc
2009-2010 American Family Physician (1x year), Virulence (2x year)
2015 Endocrine Research (1x year)
2016-2017 Psychoneuroendocrinology (1x year)
2017 Diabetology & Metabolic syndrome (1x year)
2017-2018 Biosensors (1xyear), Diabetes Technology &Therapeutics (2x year), Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology (2 xyear)
2018 Endocrine Practice (1x year), Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology & Metabolism (1x year)
2018-current Diabetes Care (1x year), Sensors (1x year), BMJ Open Diabetes Research &Care (2x year)
Teaching Service
Students
2000-2001 Teaching Assistant, high school students (16-20 students), The Institute of Employment and Training, 3-4 hours/week, 9 months/year
2014-2016 Small group instructor, teaching 4 Medical Students, ICM2, 1 hour /week, for 6 weeks, University of Maryland School of Medicine
2014-2018 Small group instructor, teaching 16-18 Medical Students, Pathophysiology and Therapeutics II (MSPR 521), 4-10 hours/year, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Residents
2008-2011 Medical Resident, teaching 1-2 medical students, Tufts University School of Medicine, 1 hour/day, 4-6 months/year
2009-2011 Medical Resident, teaching 1-2 medical interns, Steward St Elizabeth’s Medical Center, 2 hours daily, 6-9 months/year
Fellows
2011-2012 Endocrinology Fellow, teaching 1 medical intern, 1 resident and 1 student, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1 hour daily, 9-12 months/year
2012-2014 Endocrinology Fellow, teaching 1 medical intern, 1 resident and 1 student, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1 hour/ week, 9-12 months/year
2014-2018 University of Maryland School of Medicine, Endocrine Fellows Core Curriculum, 2-4 hours per year
2014-2018 Lecturer, Endocrine Fellows Core Curriculum, teaching 6 fellows, 1-2 residents, 1-2 3rd or 4th year medical students
Combined
2014-current Attending Physician Inpatient Endocrinology Consult Service (UMMC), teaching 2 fellows, 1-2 residents, 1-2 3rd or 4th year medical students (UMSOM), 3-5 hours/day, 5 days/weeks, 5-6 weeks per year,
2014-current Attending Physician Outpatient Endocrinology Clinics, 3-4 fellows, 1-2 residents (UMMC), 1-2 3rd or 4th year medical students, 5 hours/day, 1 day/week, 5-6 weeks per year (UMSOM)
2016-current Physician Inpatient Endocrinology Consult Service (BVAMC), 2 fellows,1 hour/day, 5 days/week, 23 weeks per year
2016-current Attending Physician Outpatient Endocrinology Clinics, 3-4 fellows, 0-1 resident (BVAMC), 0-1 3rd or 4th year medical students (UMSOM), 8-12 hours/week, 2 days/week, 48 weeks per year.
Previous Positions
2000-2001: Physician, Mires Health Center, Vasilika Anoyia, Greece
2001-2001: Teaching Assistant, 1st and 2nd IEK, Crete, Greece
2001-2003: Physician, Greek Army, Air Force Units, 5 MKSEP/126SM, Greece
2003-2005: Intern and Resident, University Hospital, University of Crete
2006-2007: Research Fellow, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Division of Endocrinology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
2007-2008: Research Fellow, Penn State University, Division of Endocrinology, Hershey, PA
2008-2011: Internship and Residency, Saint Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Tufts University, Boston, MA
2011-2014: Clinical and research Fellow, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD