New Transplant Specialist to Join UPMC Children’s Gastroenterology and Hepatology Division

The UPMC Children’s Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition is pleased to welcome Vikram K Raghu, MD, MS, who will join the Division in July. Dr. Raghu currently is completing his transplant hepatology fellowship at UPMC Children’s.

Dr. Raghu earned both his undergraduate degrees (mathematics and neuroscience) and medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as a Master of Science in Clinical Research. Dr. Raghu also completed his pediatric residency at UPMC Children’s.

Dr. Raghu’s clinical practice and research seeks to develop and implement innovative methods to improve the value of care provided to patients with gastrointestinal disease, with a special focus on intestinal rehabilitation, intestinal failure, and intestinal transplantation. 

His primary work involves using cost-effectiveness analysis to evaluate interventions in pediatric intestinal rehabilitation and transplantation under the mentorship of Dr. Kenneth Smith. He serves as a trainee member in the Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplant Association where he has actively participated in the development of an international Intestinal Failure Registry. His current funded work aims to improve nutrient supplementation in children with intestinal failure, particularly iron and lipid supplementation. As faculty, he will be supported by the CHP Scholars Award to investigate the cost-effectiveness of intestinal transplantation. Through his work, Dr. Raghu hopes to continue to improve outcomes, including quality of life, for children with intestinal failure.

Recent Publications

• Raghu VK, Prathapan KM, Hamm ME, Rudolph JA, Norman MK. Caregiver Decision-making in Pediatric Intestinal Failure: A Qualitative Study Focused on Iron Deficiency Anemia. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2021 Mar 1;72(3): 446-450.
• Raghu VK, Squires JE, Mogul DB, Squires RH, McKiernan PJ, Mazariegos GV, Smith KJ. Cost-Effectiveness of Primary Liver Transplantation Versus Hepatoportoenterostomy in the Management of Biliary Atresia in the United States. Liver Transpl. 2021 Jan 18. doi: 10.1002/lt.25984. Online ahead of print.
• Wendel D, Mezoff EA, Raghu VK, Kinberg S, Soden J, Avitzur Y, Rudolph JA, Gniadek M, Cohran VC, Venick RS, Cole CR Management of Central Venous Access in Children With Intestinal Failure: A Position Paper From the NASPGHAN Intestinal Rehabilitation Special Interest Group. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2021 Mar 1; 72(3): 474-486.
• Raghu VK, Nowalk AJ, Srinath AI. Should Children With Constipation Undergo Blood Lead Level Screening? Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2019 Jun; 58(6): 627–32.
• Raghu VK, Beaumont JL, Everly MJ, Venick RS, Lacaille F, Mazariegos GV. Pediatric Intestinal Transplantation: Analysis of the Intestinal Transplant Registry. Pediatr Transplant. 2019 Dec; 23(8): e13580. 
• Raghu VK, Binion DG, Smith KJ. Cost-effectiveness of Teduglutide in Adult Patients With Short Bowel Syndrome: Markov Modeling Using Traditional Cost-Effectiveness Criteria. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020 Jan 1; 111(1): 141-148.
• Raghu VK, Rudolph JA, Jalal HJ, Smith KJ. A Microsimulation Model to Compare Enteral and Parenteral Iron Supplementation in Children with Intestinal Failure. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2020 June 8. Online ahead of print.

Academic and Scholarly Awards

• Postdoctoral Scholar, Division of Gastroenterology, NIH T32 DK063922, 2018-2020
• Top Downloaded Paper, Pediatric Transplantation, 2018-2019
• IRTA-TTS Scientific Travel Award, 2019
• Chief Gastroenterology Fellow, 2019-2020
• NASPGHAN Poster of Distinction, 2019
• IRTA Poster of Distinction, 2020
• NASPGHAN Innovations in Clinical Care Grant, 2020-2021
• ASPEN Daniel H. Teitelbaum Award, 2021
• CHP Scholars Award, 2021