Florence G Rothenberg , MD

I am a clinical cardiologist with interest in the assessment and management of critically ill patients with cardiac troponin elevation in the absence of acute coronary syndrome. Critically ill patients with cardiac troponin elevation are at 2-3 fold increased risk of death compared to similarly ill patients with no cardiac troponin elevation. In a large retrospective VA study of almost twenty thousand patients, my group has shown that beta-blockers are associated with a significantly improved mortality, even in the absence of acute coronary syndrome for which beta-blockers are indicated. 

Bachelor's Degree/Master's Degree: State University of New York 1986 (Biology, Chemistry)

Medical Degree: University of Texas Southwestern 1991 (Medicine)

Internship : Baylor University Dallas. TX , 1992 (Internal Medicine )

Fellowship: Baylor University Dallas, TX, 1994 (Clinical Cardiology )

Residency : Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, TX , 1996 (Internal Medicine)

Fellowship: University of Cleveland Cleveland, OH, 2001 (Clinical Cardiology )

Fellowship: Case Western Reserve University Clevelan, Oh, 2002 (Cardiology)

Mechanisms of Normal and Abnormal Cardiac Embryology, the Development of New Technologies for Investigation of the Early Embryonic Heart, the Biology of the Epicardium, Role of the Epicardium in Cardiac Repair in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease, Translational Research Programs to More Efficiently Bring Bench Research to the Bedside.

2008 -To Present Staff Cardiologist, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

2006 -To Present Assistant Professor of Medicine, Cardiology Division, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

2004 -2006 Research Scientist, Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center,

2002 -2003 Faculty Cardiologist, MetroHealth Hospital,

Investigators:FG Rothenberg 01-2010 -12-2010 Department of Veterans Affairs Risk of Troponin Elevation in ICU Patients with no Acute Heart Disease

Investigators:FG Rothenberg 06-15-2006 -12-15-2009 University of Cincinnati, Department of Internal Medicine Role:PI

Investigators:FG Rothenberg 09-15-2007 -09-15-2008 Rehn Family Award - Intramural Award, University of Cincinnati Role:PI

Grant: #0365348B Investigators:Rothenberg 07-01-2003 -06-30-2006 American Heart Association: Beginning Grant-In-Aid The Role of Epicardially Drived Cells in the Maturation of the Avian Cardiac Conduction System Role:PI

Grant: #0275026N Investigators:Rothenberg 07-1999 -06-2000 American Heart Association The Role of Extracardiac Tissues in the Normal Development of the Chick Cardiac Outflow Tract Role:PI

Grant: #002046BR1 Investigators:Rothenberg 07-2000 -06-2001 American Heart Association The Role of Extracardiac Tissues in the Normal Development of the Chick Cardiac Outflow Tract Role:PI

Peer Reviewed Publications

Ripplinger,C.M.; Li,W.; Hadley,J.; Chen,J.; Rothenberg,F.; Lombardi,R.; Wickline,S.A.; Marian,A.J.; Efimov,I.R. (2007. ) Enhanced transmural fiber rotation and connexin 43 heterogeneity are associated with an increased upper limit of vulnerability in a transgenic rabbit model of human hypertrophic cardiomyopathy .Circulation Research, , 101 (10 ) ,1049 -1057

Jenkins,M.W.; Adler,D.C.; Gargesha,M.; Huber,R.; Rothenberg,F.; Belding,J.; Watanabe,M.; Wilson,D.L.; Fujimoto,J.G.; Rollins,A.M. (2007. ) Ultrahigh-speed optical coherence tomography imaging and visualization of the embryonic avian heart using a buffered fourier domain mode locked laser .Optics Express, , 15 (10 ) ,6251 -6267

Jenkins,M.W.; Rothenberg,F.; Roy,D.; Nikolski,V.P.; Hu,Z.; Watanabe,M.; Wilson,D.L.; Efimov,I.R.; Rollins,A.M. (2006. ) 4d embryonic cardiography using gated optical coherence tomography .Optics Express, , 14 (2 ) ,736 -748

Rothenberg,F.; Efimov,I.R. (2006. ) Three-dimensional anatomy of the conduction system of the early embryonic rabbit heart .Anatomical Record - Part A Discoveries in Molecular, Cellular, and Evolutionary Biology, , 288 (1 ) ,3 -7

Rothenberg,F.; Nikolski,V.P.; Watanabe,M.; Efimov,I.R. (2005. ) Electrophysiology and anatomy of embryonic rabbit hearts before and after septation .American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology, , 288 (1 57-1 ) ,H344 -H351

Rothenberg,F.; Watanabe,M.; Eloff,B.; Rosenbaum,D. (2005. ) Emerging patterns of cardiac conduction in the chick embryo: waveform analysis with photodiode array-based optical imaging .Developmental Dynamics, , 233 (2 ) ,456 -465

Rothenberg,F.; Efimov,I.R.; Watanabe,M. (2004. ) Functional imaging of the embryonic pacemaking and cardiac conduction system over the past 150 years: technologies to overcome the challenges .Anatomical Record - Part A Discoveries in Molecular, Cellular, and Evolutionary Biology, , 280 (2 ) ,980 -989

Efimov,I.R.; Nikolski,V.P.; Rothenberg,F.; Greener,I.D.; Li,J.; Dobrzynski,H.; Boyett,M. (2004. ) Structure-function relationship in the av junction .Anatomical Record - Part A Discoveries in Molecular, Cellular, and Evolutionary Biology, , 280 (2 ) ,952 -965

Rothenberg,F.; Fisher,S.A.; Watanabe,M. (2003. ) Sculpting the cardiac outflow tract .Birth Defects Research Part C - Embryo Today: Reviews, , 69 (1 ) ,38 -45

Rothenberg,F.; Hitomi,M.; Fisher,S.A.; Watanabe,M. (2002. ) Initiation of apoptosis in the developing avian outflow tract myocardium .Developmental Dynamics, , 223 (4 ) ,469 -482

Watanabe,M.; Hitomi,M.; Van der Wee,K.; Rothenberg,F.; Fisher,S.A.; Zucker,R.; Svoboda,K.K.H.; Goldsmith,E.C.; Heiskanen,K.M.; Nieminen,A.-L. (2002. ) The pros and cons of apoptosis assays for use in the study of cells, tissues, and organs .Microscopy and Microanalysis, , 8 (5 ) ,375 -391

Rothenberg,F.; Schumacher,J.R.; Rosenthal,R.L. (1994. ) Near-fatal pulmonary air embolus from presumed inadvertent pressure placed on a partially empty plastic intravenous infusion bag .American Journal of Cardiology, , 73 (13 ) ,1035 -1036

Rothenberg,F.; Franklin,J.O.; DeMaio,S.J. (1994. ) Use, value, and toxicity of amiodarone .Heart Disease and Stroke, , 3 (1 ) ,19 -23

Baskin,D.S.; Simpson Jr.,R.K.; Browning,J.L.; Dudley,A.W.; Rothenberg,F.; Bogue,L. (1993. ) The effect of long-term high-dose naloxone infusion in experimental blunt spinal cord injury .Journal of Spinal Disorders, , 6 (1 ) ,38 -43

Simpson Jr.,R.K.; Baskin,D.S.; Dudley,A.W.; Bogue,L.; Rothenberg,F. (1991. ) The influence of long-term nifedipine or indomethacin therapy on neurologic recovery from experimental spinal cord injury .Journal of Spinal Disorders, , 4 (4 ) ,420 -427

Chatterjee, Tapan K; Stoll, Lynn L; Denning, Gerene M; Harrelson, Allan; Blomkalns, Andra L; Idelman, Gila; Rothenberg, Florence G; Neltner, Bonnie; Romig-Martin, Sara A; Dickson, Eric W; Rudich, Steven; Weintraub, Neal L (2009. ) Proinflammatory phenotype of perivascular adipocytes: influence of high-fat feeding.Circulation research, , 104 (4 ) ,541-9 More Information

Davis, A M; Rothenberg, F G; Shepherd, N; Izatt, J A (2008. ) In vivo spectral domain optical coherence tomography volumetric imaging and spectral Doppler velocimetry of early stage embryonic chicken heart development. Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, image science, and vision, , 25 (12 ) ,3134-43

Thompson, Jillian; Schacht, Sydney; Rothenberg, Florence (2019. ) Novel Antidiabetic Therapies and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: The Role of the Noninferiority Trial.Cardiology clinics, , 37 (3 ) ,335-343 More Information

Rothenberg, Florence G; Clay, Michael B; Jamali, Hina; Vandivier-Pletsch, Robin H (2017. ) Systematic review of ? blocker, aspirin, and statin in critically ill patients: importance of severity of illness and cardiac troponin.Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research, , 65 (4 ) ,747-753 More Information

Poe, Stacy; Vandivier-Pletsch, Robin H; Clay, Michael; Wong, Hector R; Haynes, Erin; Rothenberg, Florence G (2015. ) Cardiac Troponin Measurement in the Critically Ill: Potential for Guiding Clinical Management.Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research, , 63 (8 ) ,905-15 More Information

Invited Presentations

Florence Rothenberg (07-19-2023. ) Rethinking Health in Urban Communities: Insights from the Heart of Northside .Grand Rounds, TriHealth/Good Sam. Other Institution. . Level:Department

2009 Johnson Fellow Teaching Award

2009 Recipient Ohio-ACC Scholarship to attend Legislative Conference Washington, D.C.

2009 Member Central Society for Clinical Research

2009 Featured in University of Cincinnati Findings article regarding Ohio Chapter ACC Legislative Day activities Washington, D.C.

2008 Most Frequently Read Article Rothenberg, et al, 2005 American Journal of Physiology, Heart Circ Physiol.

2008 Featured in University of Cincinnati Findings article regarding optical coherence tomography investigations of embryonic heart development

2008 -2010 Member Board of Trustees, Ohio Chapter for the American College of Cardiology

cardiology, stem cells, cardiac repair, research, basic science

Cincinnati Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center
3200 Vine St
Cincinnati  Ohio, 45220
Phone: 513-475-4619
Fax: 513-475-6389
florence.rothenberg@va.gov