About me
Researcher in rheumatology and oncology; Medical affairs professional in the life sciences industry. Experienced with quantitative research and the development and assessment of usable research tools in several therapeutic areas, including clinical trials and precision medicine in rheumatology and oncology. A capable translational communicator with experience from several international scientific congresses.
Research description
Research currently focuses on understanding the disease etiology behind systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), its treatment landscape and improving patient outcomes. Previous research in this field included mapping praxis and treat-to-target guideline paradigm setting for the most optimal treatment of SLE.
Prior research-related activities:
Headed all centralized data management activities and built the clinical database for an international multi-center, multi-randomized phase III open label prospective umbrella trial for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, ALLTogether.
Postdoctoral research focused on complex interactions among quantified subjective factors and their prognostic capability: linking the first experience of patient symptoms and sensations through an online, interactive questionnaire together with analyses of biological data to potentially aid in diagnosing lung cancer earlier and add to the understanding of symptoms and bodily perception through bio-behavioral research, PEX-LC/PEKLUNG.
Doctoral research centralized on optimizing precision medicine in rheumatoid arthritis through randomized trials, e.g. SWEFOT – focusing on prediction and outcomes of pharmaceutical therapies through individualized patient profiles with biomarkers and risk factors, and assessing integrative manual therapy for chronic pain.
Publications:
- Distinct Fluorescence Optical Imaging Patient Clusters Emerge for Seropositive and Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis. Kisten Y, Arnaud L, Levitsky A, Györi N, Larsson P, Hensvold A, Catrina A, Af Klint E, Rezaei H ACR Open Rheumatol 2023 Aug
- Using patients' own knowledge of early sensations and symptoms to develop an interactive, individualized e-questionnaire to facilitate early diagnosis of lung cancer. Levitsky A, Bernhardson BM, Henoch I, Olin M, Kölbeck K, Rystedt N, Tishelman C, Eriksson LE BMC Cancer 2021 May;21(1):544
- Early symptoms and sensations as predictors of lung cancer: a machine learning multivariate model. Levitsky A, Pernemalm M, Bernhardson BM, Forshed J, Kölbeck K, Olin M, Henriksson R, Lehtiö J, Tishelman C, Eriksson LE Sci Rep 2019 Nov;9(1):16504
- Joint Mobilization of the Hands of Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results From an Assessor-Blinded, Randomized Crossover Trial. Levitsky A, Kisten Y, Lind S, Nordström P, Hultholm H, Lyander J, Hammelin V, Gentline C, Giannakou I, Faustini F, Skillgate E, van Vollenhoven R, Sundberg T J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2019 Jan;42(1):34-46
- Obesity is a strong predictor of worse clinical outcomes and treatment responses in early rheumatoid arthritis: results from the SWEFOT trial. Levitsky A, Brismar K, Hafström I, Hambardzumyan K, Lourdudoss C, van Vollenhoven RF, Saevarsdottir S RMD Open 2017;3(2):e000458
- Early treatment intensification induces favourable radiographic outcomes according to predicted versus observed radiographic progression in early rheumatoid arthritis: a subanalysis of the randomised FIN-RACo and NEO-RACo trials. Levitsky A, Wick MC, Möttönen T, Leirisalo-Repo M, Laasonen L, Korpela M, van Vollenhoven RF, Rantalaiho V Clin Exp Rheumatol 2016 ;34(6):1065-1071
- Clinical roundup: selected treatments for rheumatoid arthritis. Kaltenborn manual mobilization Levitsky, A, Kisten Y, Sundberg T, van Vollenhoven, RF Alt and Compl Ther 2016 Aug;22(4)
- Serum survivin predicts responses to treatment in active rheumatoid arthritis: a post hoc analysis from the SWEFOT trial. Levitsky A, Erlandsson MC, van Vollenhoven RF, Bokarewa MI BMC Med 2015 Sep;13():247
- Detection of clinically manifest and silent synovitis in the hands and wrists by fluorescence optical imaging. Kisten Y, Györi N, Af Klint E, Rezaei H, Levitsky A, Karlsson A, van Vollenhoven R RMD Open 2015 ;1(1):e000106
- Predicted vs. observed radiographic progression in early rheumatoid arthritis (POPeRA): results from a randomized trial. Levitsky A, Forslind K, van Vollenhoven RF, Scand J Rheumatol 2015 ;44(5):348-53
- Treat-to-target in systemic lupus erythematosus: recommendations from an international task force. van Vollenhoven RF, Mosca M, Bertsias G, Isenberg D, Kuhn A, Lerstrøm K, Aringer M, Bootsma H, Boumpas D, Bruce IN, Cervera R, Clarke A, Costedoat-Chalumeau N, Czirják L, Derksen R, Dörner T, Gordon C, Graninger W, Houssiau F, Inanc M, Jacobsen S, Jayne D, Jedryka-Goral A, Levitsky A, Levy R, Mariette X, Morand E, Navarra S, Neumann I, Rahman A, Rovensky J, Smolen J, Vasconcelos C, Voskuyl A, Voss A, Zakharova H, Zoma A, Schneider M Ann Rheum Dis 2014 Jun;73(6):958-67
- Biologics in SLE: towards new approaches. van Vollenhoven RF, Parodis I, Levitsky A Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol 2013 Jun;27(3):341-9
- Rituximab in the management of systemic lupus erythematosus Levitsky A, Linder Ekö S, van Vollenhoven RF Rheumatol Sci and Practice 51(3):223-239
Citations: >950, h-index: 7
Education
PhD Medical Science, Karolinska Institutet
MSc Global Health, Karolinska Institutet
BSc Human Factors Psychology, ERAU
Academic honours, awards and prizes
International Society for Quality of Life Research (ISOQOL) 2018 conference top submission, Presenter at the Cutting Edge Research Plenary session: Analysis of early predictive lung cancer symptoms and sensations by orthogonal projections to latent structures (OPLS)