Eliseo Guallar

Chair and Professor of the Department of Epidemiology

Professional overview

Dr. Guallar is an epidemiologist whose research is focused on the study of cardiovascular disease epidemiology and prevention, with an emphasis on evaluating the role of environmental and nutritional exposures in the development of cardiovascular disease. This research has made critically important and novel contributions to our understanding of risk factors for chronic disease both in the US and globally. He has published seminal articles and is a leading figure in an emerging field highlighting the risks of exposure to levels of metals previously considered safe for cardiovascular health. In addition to his work in toxic metals, Dr. Guallar has made important contributions to understanding the effects of certain micronutrients and vitamin supplements on cardiovascular disease risk and outcomes. Publications in this area were influential in changing consumer habits and attitudes towards these products. Much of this research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the American Heart Association, the CDC, and other funders.

Dr. Guallar was the founding director of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology at the Samsung Medical Center and a lead investigator of the Kangbuk Samsung Cohort Study at the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital since its inception in 2010. Dr. Guallar has published over 500 research papers in peer-reviewed journals. He is also a Deputy Editor for Methods at the Annals of Internal Medicine and a past member and Chair of the Cancer, Heart, and Sleep Study Section at the National Institutes of Health.

Prior to teaching at NYU, Dr. Guallar was a Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and a core faculty member of the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research at Johns Hopkins. In the Department of Epidemiology, Dr. Guallar was the Director of the Environmental and Occupational Area of Concentration and the Co-Director of the PhD Program. Dr. Guallar was also an adjunct Professor at the Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation of the Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Science and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, in Seoul, Korea.

Education

Diploma of English, Spanish Official School of Languages at Zaragoza (Escuela Oficial de Idiomas de Zaragoza), Zaragoza, Spain

MD, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain

MPH, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

DrPH, Harvard University, Boston, MA

Honors and awards

Six Honor Calls in the MD Program, University of Zaragoza School of Medicine (1981)

Fellow of Spain’s Program of Training of Graduate Research of the Ministry of Education and Science, University of Zaragoza (1988)

Fulbright Scholar, sponsored by Spain’s Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs (1989)

Faculty Innovation Award, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health (2001)

Scientist Development Award, American Heart Association (2002)

Fellow of the American Heart Association, Council on Epidemiology and Prevention (2013)

Advising, Mentoring, and Teaching Recognition Award 2014 – 2015, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health (2015)

High Impact Research Icon, University of Malaya (2015)

Publications

Publications

Real world impact of epidermal growth factor receptor mutation status on treatment patterns in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Sun, J. M., Rampal, S., Lee, G., Lee, J., Choi, Y. L., Parasuraman, B., Guallar, E., Cho, J., & Shim, Y. M. (n.d.).

Publication year

2013

Journal title

Lung Cancer

Volume

80

Issue

2

Page(s)

191-196

10.1016/j.lungcan.2013.01.009

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status is an important predictor of the efficacy of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We evaluated the real impact of EGFR mutation status on chemotherapy patterns of NSCLC patients. Patients and methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of consecutive advanced NSCLC patients attended at the Samsung Medical Centre in Seoul, Korea, from January 2007 through July 2010. EGFR mutation was analyzed by direct sequencing testing. Results: Among 1164 patients treated during the study period, 166 (14.3%) were EGFR mutation positive, 275 (23.6%) were mutation negative, and 723 (62.1%) had mutation status unknown. Overall, 605 (52%) received TKI therapy as a first-, second-, or third-line therapy. The proportions of patients receiving TKI therapy among those with positive, negative and unknown EGFR mutation status were 88.0, 46.5, and 45.8%, respectively. After adjustment for other factors, patients with a positive EGFR mutation status (odds ratio [OR] 7.88, 95% CI 4.58, 13.57), and those who were female (OR 2.83, 95% CI 2.04, 3.92) or had poor performance status (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.13, 2.22) were significantly more likely to receive TKI treatment. Furthermore, the temporal relationship between EGFR mutation reporting and initiation of TKI therapy significantly differed by EGFR mutation status. Conclusion: EGFR mutation status significantly affected the chemotherapy patterns in advanced NSCLC. More widespread EGFR testing and the use of faster and more sensitive mutation tests will result in more timely and appropriate use of TKI therapy in advanced NSCLC.

Response to comment on : Kim et al. Prospective study of serum adiponectin and incident metabolic syndrome: The ARIRANG Study. Diabetes Care 2013; 36:1547-1553

Kim, J. Y., Ahn, S. V., & Guallar, E. (n.d.).

Publication year

2013

Journal title

Diabetes Care

Volume

36

Issue

9

Page(s)

e168

10.2337/dc13-1179

Abstract

Abstract

~

Selenium and hypertension : Do we need to reconsider selenium supplementation in cancer patients?

Gouni-Berthold, I., Michalke, B., Krone, W., Guallar, E., & Berthold, H. K. (n.d.).

Publication year

2013

Journal title

Journal of Hypertension

Volume

31

Issue

5

Page(s)

1050-1052

10.1097/HJH.0b013e32835efecb

Abstract

Abstract

~

Systematic review of three decades of Spanish cardiovascular epidemiology : Improving translation for a future of prevention

Franco, M., Bilal, U., Guallar, E., Sanz, G., Gómez, A. F., Fuster, V., & Cooper, R. (n.d.).

Publication year

2013

Journal title

European Journal of Preventive Cardiology

Volume

20

Issue

4

Page(s)

565-576

10.1177/2047487312455314

Abstract

Abstract

Background: In order to improve national cardiovascular disease (CVD) epidemiology and prevention, we systematically reviewed and analyzed the relevant literature produced in the last three decades for Spain. Design: Systematic Review. Methods: We searched for all the articles aiming to monitor CVD clinical endpoints and risk factors in the Spanish general population that were indexed in MEDLINE and EMBASE. Based on international recommendations, we analyzed each article with a three-level scoring system (low to high) for the following criteria: data quality, representativeness and translation of results into preventive interventions. Results: We reviewed 2565 articles, selecting 314 for in-depth analysis. Articles about diet, blood pressure, obesity and smoking represented 53% of all published CVD studies, whereas those about physical activity or psychosocial factors represented only 5%. Low data quality was found in 67% and 60% of the articles about physical activity and smoking, respectively. High data quality was found in 77% and 61% of the articles dedicated to diet and blood pressure, respectively. Representativeness was low for 41%, 31% and 25% of the studies focusing on diet, smoking and diabetes, respectively. Translation of research results into prevention scored lowest of all three criteria, as 41% of all 314 articles scored low. None of the articles on obesity, diabetes, lipids, physical activity or psychosocial factors identified any specific preventive intervention. Conclusion: Future Spanish CVD epidemiology research will benefit from improving not just the quality and representativeness of the data measured, but drastically improving the translation of research results into future preventive interventions. The lack of a translational focus remains the fundamental gap in CVD research.

The association between cecal insertion time and colorectal neoplasm detection

Yang, M. H., Cho, J., Rampal, S., Choi, E. K., Choi, Y. H., Lee, J. H., Kim, Y. H., Chang, D. K., Rhee, P. L., Kim, J. J., Guallar, E., Rhee, J. C., & Son, H. J. (n.d.).

Publication year

2013

Journal title

BMC Gastroenterology

Volume

13

Issue

1

10.1186/1471-230X-13-124

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Information on the impact of cecal insertion time on colorectal neoplasm detection is limited. Our objective was to determine the association between cecal insertion time and colorectal neoplasm detection rate in colonoscopy screening.Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 12,679 consecutive subjects aged 40-79 years undergoing screening colonoscopy in routine health check-ups at the Center for Health Promotion of the Samsung Medical Center from December 2007 to June 2009. Fixed effects logistic regression conditioning on colonoscopist was used to eliminate confounding due to differences in technical ability and other characteristics across colonoscopists.Results: The mean cecal insertion time was 5.9 (SD, 4.4 minutes). We identified 4,249 (33.5%) participants with colorectal neoplasms, of whom 1,956 had small single adenomas (

The association of serum lipids with colorectal adenomas

Yang, M. H., Rampal, S., Sung, J., Choi, Y. H., Son, H. J., Lee, J. H., Kim, Y. H., Chang, D. K., Rhee, P. L., Kim, J. J., Rhee, J. C., Chun, H. K., Guallar, E., & Cho, J. (n.d.).

Publication year

2013

Journal title

American Journal of Gastroenterology

Volume

108

Issue

5

Page(s)

833-841

10.1038/ajg.2013.64

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives: There is suggestive but sparse evidence that dyslipidemia is associated with colorectal neoplasms. We investigated the association of serum lipid and apolipoprotein concentrations with the prevalence of colorectal adenomas. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 19,281 consecutive participants aged 40-79 years undergoing screening colonoscopy at the Center for Health Promotion of the Samsung Medical Center in Korea from January 2006 to June 2009. Results: We identified 5,958 participants with colorectal adenomas (30.9%), including 5,504 (28.5%) with non-advanced adenomas and 454 (2.4%) with advanced adenomas. The adjusted relative prevalence ratios (aRPRs) comparing the fourth with the first quartiles of serum triglycerides were 1.35 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20-1.52; P trend

The effects of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on biomarkers of kidney injury in adults with diabetes : Results of the GO-FISH trial

Miller, E. R., Juraschek, S. P., Anderson, C. A., Guallar, E., Henoch-Ryugo, K., Charleston, J., Turban, S., Bennett, M. R., & Appel, L. J. (n.d.).

Publication year

2013

Journal title

Diabetes Care

Volume

36

Issue

6

Page(s)

1462-1469

10.2337/dc12-1940

Abstract

Abstract

OBJECTIVE - Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) supplements may have renoprotective effects in patients with diabetes, but previous trials have been inconsistent. We performed a randomized controlled trial of n-3 PUFA supplementation on urine albumin excretion and markers of kidney injury in adults with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, two-period crossover trial to test the effects of 4 g/day of n-3 PUFA supplementation on markers of glomerular filtration and kidney injury in adults with adult-onset diabetes and greater than or equal to trace amounts of proteinuria. Each period lasted 6weeks andwas separated by a 2-week washout. The main outcome was urine albumin excretion and, secondarily, markers of kidney injury (kidney injury molecule-1, N-acetyl β-D-glucosaminidase [NAG], neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin [NGAL], and liver fatty acid-binding protein [LFABP]), serum markers of kidney function (cystatin C, β2-microglobulin, and creatinine), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). RESULTS - Of the 31 participants, 29 finished both periods. A total of 55% were male, and 61% were African American; mean age was 67 years. At baseline, mean BMI was 31.6 kg/m 2, median eGFR was 76.9 mL/min/1.73 m2, and median 24-h urine albumin excretion was 161 mg/day. Compared with placebo, n-3 PUFA had nonsignificant effects on urine albumin excretion (-7.2%; 95% CI -20.6 to 8.5; P = 0.35) and significant effects on urine NGAL excretion (-16% [-29.1 to -0.5%]; P = 0.04). There was no effect on serum markers of kidney function or eGFR. In subgroup analyses, there were significant decreases in 24-h urinary excretion of albumin, NGAL, LFABP, and NAG among participants taking medications that block the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). CONCLUSIONS - These results suggest a potential effect of n-3 PUFA supplementation on markers of kidney injury in patients with diabetes and early evidence of kidney disease. In the context of prior studies, these results provide a strong rationale for long-term trials of n-3 PUFA on chronic kidney disease progression.

The progression and early detection of subclinical atherosclerosis (PESA) study : Rationale and design

Fernández-Ortiz, A., Jiménez-Borreguero, L. J., Peñalvo, J. L., Ordovás, J. M., Mocoroa, A., Fernández-Friera, L., Laclaustra, M., García, L., Molina, J., Mendiguren, J. M., López-Melgar, B., De Vega, V. M., Alonso-Farto, J. C., Guallar, E., Sillesen, H., Rudd, J. H., Fayad, Z. A., Ibañez, B., Sanz, G., & Fuster, V. (n.d.).

Publication year

2013

Journal title

American Heart Journal

Volume

166

Issue

6

Page(s)

990-998

10.1016/j.ahj.2013.08.024

Abstract

Abstract

Background The presence of subclinical atherosclerosis is a likely predictor of cardiovascular events; however, factors associated with the early stages and progression of atherosclerosis are poorly defined. Objective The PESA study examines the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis by means of noninvasive imaging and prospectively analyzes the determinants associated with its development and progression in a middle-aged population. Methods The PESA study is an observational, longitudinal and prospective cohort study in a target population of 4000 healthy subjects (40-54 years old, 35% women) based in Madrid (Spain). Recruitment began in June 2010 and will be completed by the end of 2013. Baseline examination consists of (1) assessment for cardiovascular risk factors (including lifestyle and psychosocial factors); (2) screening for subclinical atherosclerosis using 2D/3D ultrasound in carotid, abdominal aorta and iliofemoral arteries, and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) by computed tomography; and (3) blood sampling for determination of traditional risk factors, advanced "omics" and biobanking. In addition, a subgroup of 1300 participants with evidence of atherosclerosis on 2D/3D ultrasound or CACS will undergo a combined 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (18FDG PET/MRI) study of carotid and iliofemoral arteries. Follow-up at 3 and 6 years will include a repetition of baseline measurements, except for the 18FDG PET/MRI study, which will be repeated at 6 years. Conclusions The PESA study is expected to identify new imaging and biological factors associated with the presence and progression of atherosclerosis in asymptomatic people and will help to establish a more personalized management of medical care.

Thromboxane A2 generation, in the absence of platelet COX-1 activity, in patients with and without atherothrombotic myocardial infarction

DeFilippis, A. P., Oloyede, O. S., Andrikopoulou, E., Saenger, A. K., Palachuvattil, J. M., Fasoro, Y. A., Guallar, E., Blumenthal, R. S., Kickler, T. S., Jaffe, A. S., Gerstenblith, G., Schulman, S. P., & Rade, J. J. (n.d.).

Publication year

2013

Journal title

Circulation Journal

Volume

77

Issue

11

Page(s)

2786-2792

10.1253/circj.CJ-12-1421

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Aspirin's therapeutic action is via inhibition of platelet cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-1) thromboxane A2 (TxA2) production. The aim of this study was to evaluate TxA2 production, in the absence of platelet COX-1 activity, in coronary atherosclerotic heart disease patients with and without atherothrombotic myocardial infarction (MI). Methods and Results: TxA2 production, in the absence of platelet COX-1 activity, was evaluated in 44 patients taking aspirin on 3 commercially available assays that detect metabolites of TxA2 in the urine. Two assays measure urine 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2 (TxB2) alone and 1 measures urine 11-dehydro-TxB2 plus 11-dehydro-2,3-dinor- TxB2. Platelet COX-1 inhibition was confirmed on

Thyroid Hormones and Electrocardiographic Parameters : Findings from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Zhang, Y., Post, W. S., Cheng, A., Blasco-Colmenares, E., Tomaselli, G. F., & Guallar, E. (n.d.).

Publication year

2013

Journal title

PloS one

Volume

8

Issue

4

10.1371/journal.pone.0059489

Abstract

Abstract

Introduction: Altered thyroid status exerts a major effect on the heart. Individuals with hypo- or hyperthyroidism showed various changes in electrocardiograms. However, little is known about how variations in thyroid hormone levels within the normal range affect electrical activities of the heart in the general population. Methods and Results: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 5,990 men and women from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Serum total T4 was measured by immunoassay and TSH was measured by chemiluminescent assay. We categorized T4 and TSH into 7 groups with cut-offs at the 5th, 20th, 40th, 60th, 80th, and 95th percentiles of the weighted population distribution. Electrocardiographic parameters were measured from the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram. We found a positive linear association between serum total T4 level and heart rate in men, and a U-shape association between T4 and PR interval in men and women. TSH level was positively associated with QRS interval in men, while a U-shape association between TSH and QRS was observed in women. No clear graded association between thyroid hormones and corrected QT or JT was found, except that men in the highest category of T4 levels appeared to have longer corrected QT and JT, and men in the lowest category of T4 appeared to have shorter corrected QT and JT. Conclusions: Variation in thyroid hormone levels in the general population, even within the normal range, was associated with various ECG changes.

Urine arsenic and prevalent albuminuria : Evidence from a population-based study

Zheng, L. Y., Umans, J. G., Tellez-Plaza, M., Yeh, F., Francesconi, K. A., Goessler, W., Silbergeld, E. K., Guallar, E., Howard, B. V., Weaver, V. M., & Navas-Acien, A. (n.d.).

Publication year

2013

Journal title

American Journal of Kidney Diseases

Volume

61

Issue

3

Page(s)

385-394

10.1053/j.ajkd.2012.09.011

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Long-term arsenic exposure is a major global health problem. However, few epidemiologic studies have evaluated the association of arsenic with kidney measures. Our objective was to evaluate the cross-sectional association between inorganic arsenic exposure and albuminuria in American Indian adults from rural areas of Arizona, Oklahoma, and North and South Dakota. Study Design: Cross-sectional. Setting & Partipants: Strong Heart Study locations in Arizona, Oklahoma, and North and South Dakota. 3,821 American Indian men and women aged 45-74 years with urine arsenic and albumin measurements. Predictor: Urine arsenic. Outcomes: Urine albumin-creatinine ratio and albuminuria status. Measurements: Arsenic exposure was estimated by measuring total urine arsenic and urine arsenic species using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) and high-performance liquid chromatography-ICPMS, respectively. Urine albumin was measured by automated nephelometric immunochemistry. Results: The prevalence of albuminuria (albumin-creatinine ratio ≥30 mg/g) was 30%. Median value for the sum of inorganic and methylated arsenic species was 9.7 (IQR, 5.8-15.6) μg per gram of creatinine. Multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratios of albuminuria (albumin-creatinine ratio ≥30 mg/g) comparing the 3 highest to lowest quartiles of the sum of inorganic and methylated arsenic species were 1.16 (95% CI, 1.00-1.34), 1.24 (95% CI, 1.07-1.43), and 1.55 (95% CI, 1.35-1.78), respectively (P for trend

A cohort study of hyperuricemia in middle-aged South Korean men

Ryu, S., Chang, Y., Zhang, Y., Kim, S. G., Cho, J., Son, H. J., Shin, H., & Guallar, E. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

American Journal of Epidemiology

Volume

175

Issue

2

Page(s)

133-143

10.1093/aje/kwr291

Abstract

Abstract

Few prospective studies have assessed the incidence and determinants of asymptomatic hyperuricemia in free-living populations. The authors' goals in this study were to estimate the incidence of hyperuricemia and quantify the dose-response relations of specific risk factors with hyperuricemia in middle-aged South Korean male workers. The authors followed a cohort of 10,802 hyperuricemia-free men aged 30-59 years, examining them annually or biennially at a university hospital in Seoul, South Korea, from 2002 to 2009. A parametric Cox model and a pooled logistic regression model were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios for incident hyperuricemia (defined as serum uric acid level ≥7.0 mg/dL) according to prespecified risk factors. During 51,210.6 person-years of follow-up, 2,496 men developed hyperuricemia (incidence rate = 48.7 per 1,000 person-years, 95% confidence interval: 46.8, 50.7). The incidence of hyperuricema increased across baseline categories of age, body mass index, alcohol intake, blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, triglycerides, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and fatty liver, whereas fasting glucose, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were inversely associated with incident hyperuricemia. Development of hyperuricemia, a very common outcome among apparently healthy South Korean men, was predicted by a variety of cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors, suggesting that lifestyle modification may help reduce the incidence of hyperuricemia.

A cohort study of serum bilirubin levels and incident non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in middle aged Korean workers.

Chang, Y., Ryu, S., Zhang, Y., Son, H. J., Kim, J. Y., Cho, J., & Guallar, E. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

PloS one

Volume

7

Issue

5

Page(s)

e37241

10.1371/journal.pone.0037241

Abstract

Abstract

Serum bilirubin may have potent antioxidant and cytoprotective effects. Serum bilirubin levels are inversely associated with several cardiovascular and metabolic endpoints, but their association with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has not been investigated except for a single cross-sectional study in a pediatric population. We assessed the prospective association between serum bilirubin concentrations (total, direct, and indirect) and the risk for NAFLD. We performed a cohort study in 5,900 Korean men, 30 to 59 years of age, with no evidence of liver disease and no major risk factors for liver disease at baseline. Study participants were followed in annual or biennial health examinations between 2002 and 2009. The presence of fatty liver was determined at each visit by ultrasonography. We observed 1,938 incident cases of NAFLD during 28,101.8 person-years of follow-up. Increasing levels of serum direct bilirubin were progressively associated with a decreasing incidence of NAFLD. In age-adjusted models, the hazard ratio for NAFLD comparing the highest to the lowest quartile of serum direct bilirubin levels was 0.61 (95% CI 0.54-0.68). The association persisted after adjusting for multiple metabolic parameters (hazard ratio comparing the highest to the lowest quartile 0.86, 95% CI 0.76-0.98; P trend = 0.039). Neither serum total nor indirect bilirubin levels were significantly associated with the incidence of NAFLD. In this large prospective study, higher serum direct bilirubin levels were significantly associated with a lower risk of developing NAFLD, even adjusting for a variety of metabolic parameters. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this association and to establish the role of serum direct bilirubin as a marker for NAFLD risk.

A Randomized Trial of Selenium Supplementation and Risk of Type-2 Diabetes, as Assessed by Plasma Adiponectin

Rayman, M. P., Blundell-Pound, G., Pastor-Barriuso, R., Guallar, E., Steinbrenner, H., & Stranges, S. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

PloS one

Volume

7

Issue

9

10.1371/journal.pone.0045269

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Evidence that selenium affects the risk of type-2 diabetes is conflicting, with observational studies and a few randomized trials showing both lower and higher risk linked to the level of selenium intake and status. We investigated the effect of selenium supplementation on the risk of type-2 diabetes in a population of relatively low selenium status as part of the UK PRECISE (PREvention of Cancer by Intervention with SElenium) pilot study. Plasma adiponectin concentration, a recognised independent predictor of type-2 diabetes risk and known to be correlated with circulating selenoprotein P, was the biomarker chosen. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, five hundred and one elderly volunteers were randomly assigned to a six-month intervention with 100, 200 or 300 μg selenium/d as high-selenium or placebo yeast. Adiponectin concentration was measured by ELISA at baseline and after six months of treatment in 473 participants with one or both plasma samples available. Results: Mean (SD) plasma selenium concentration was 88.5 ng/g (19.1) at baseline and increased significantly in the selenium-treatment groups. In baseline cross-sectional analyses, the fully adjusted geometric mean of plasma adiponectin was 14% lower (95% CI, 0-27%) in the highest than in the lowest quartile of plasma selenium (P for linear trend = 0.04). In analyses across randomized groups, however, selenium supplementation had no effect on adiponectin levels after six months of treatment (P = 0.96). Conclusions: These findings are reassuring as they did not show a diabetogenic effect of a six-month supplementation with selenium in this sample of elderly individuals of relatively low selenium status. Trial Registration: Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN25193534.

Aragon workers' health study - design and cohort description

Casasnovas, J. A., Alcaide, V., Civeira, F., Guallar, E., Ibañez, B., Borreguero, J. J., Laclaustra, M., León, M., Peñalvo, J. L., Ordovás, J. M., Pocovi, M., Sanz, G., & Fuster, V. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

BMC Cardiovascular Disorders

Volume

12

10.1186/1471-2261-12-45

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Spain, a Mediterranean country with relatively low rates of coronary heart disease, has a high prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and is experiencing a severe epidemic of overweight/obesity. We designed the Aragon Workers' Health Study (AWHS) to characterize the factors associated with metabolic abnormalities and subclinical atherosclerosis in a middle aged population in Spain free of clinical cardiovascular disease. The objective of this paper is to describe the study design, aims and baseline characteristics of participants in the AWHS.Methods/Design: Longitudinal cohort study based on the annual health exams of 5,400 workers of a car assembly plant in Figueruelas (Zaragoza, Spain). Study participants were recruited during a standardized clinical exam in 2009-2010 (participation rate 95.6%). Study participants will undergo annual clinical exams and laboratory assays, and baseline and triennial collection of biological materials for biobanking and cardiovascular imaging exams (carotid, femoral and abdominal ultrasonography, coronary calcium score, and ankle-arm blood pressure index). Participants will be followed-up for 10 years.Results: The average (SD) age, body mass index, and waist circumference were 49.3 (8.7) years, 27.7 (3.6) kg/m2 and 97.2 (9.9) cm, respectively, among males (N = 5,048), and 40.8 (11.6) years, 24.4 (3.8) kg/m2, and 81.9 (9.9) cm, among females (N = 351). The prevalence of overweight, obesity, current smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes were 55.0, 23.1, 37.1, 40.3, 75.0, and 7.4%, respectively, among males, and 23.7, 8.3, 45.0, 12.1, 59.5, and 0.6%, respectively, among females. In the initial 587 study participants who completed all imaging exams (94.5% male), the prevalence of carotid plaque, femoral plaque, coronary calcium score >1 to 100, and coronary calcium score >100 was 30.3, 56.9, 27.0, and 8.8%, respectively. 67.7% of study participants had at least one plaque in the carotid or femoral arteries.Discussion: Baseline data from the AWHS show a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and of sublinical atherosclerosis. Follow-up of this cohort will allow the assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis progression and the link of disease progression to traditional and emergent risk factors.

Arsenic exposure and cardiovascular disease : An updated systematic review

Moon, K., Guallar, E., & Navas-Acien, A. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

Current atherosclerosis reports

Volume

14

Issue

6

Page(s)

542-555

10.1007/s11883-012-0280-x

Abstract

Abstract

In epidemiologic studies, high-chronic arsenic exposure has been associated with cardiovascular disease, despite methodological limitations. At low-moderate arsenic levels, the evidence was inconclusive. Here, we update a previous systematic review (Am J Epidemiol 2005;162:1037-49) examining the association between arsenic exposure and cardiovascular disease. Eighteen studies published since 2005 were combined with 13 studies from the previous review. We calculated pooled relative risks by comparing the highest versus the lowest exposure category across studies. For high exposure (arsenic in drinking water>50 μg/L), the pooled relative risks (95 % confidence interval) for cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease were 1.32 (95 % CI:1.05-1.67), 1.89 (95 % CI:1.33-2.69), 1.08 (95 % CI:0.98-1.19), and 2.17 (95 % CI:1.47-3.20), respectively. At low-moderate arsenic levels, the evidence was inconclusive. Our review strengthens the evidence for a causal association between highchronic arsenic exposure and clinical cardiovascular endpoints. Additional high quality studies are needed at low-moderate arsenic levels.

Arsenic exposure and hypertension : A systematic review

Abhyankar, L. N., Jones, M. R., Guallar, E., & Navas-Acien, A. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

Environmental health perspectives

Volume

120

Issue

4

Page(s)

494-500

10.1289/ehp.1103988

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Environmental exposure to arsenic has been linked to hypertension in persons living in arsenic-endemic areas. Objective: We summarized published epidemiologic studies concerning arsenic exposure and hypertension or blood pressure (BP) measurements to evaluate the potential relationship. Data sources and extraction: We searched PubMed, Embase, and TOXLINE and applied predetermined exclusion criteria. We identified 11 cross-sectional studies from which we abstracted or derived measures of association and calculated pooled odds ratios (ORs) using inverse-variance weighted random-effects models. Data synthesis: The pooled OR for hypertension comparing the highest and lowest arsenic exposure categories was 1.27 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09, 1.47; p-value for heterogeneity = 0.001; I 2 = 70.2%]. In populations with moderate to high arsenic concentrations in drinking water, the pooled OR was 1.15 (95% CI: 0.96, 1.37; p-value for heterogeneity = 0.002; I 2 = 76.6%) and 2.57 (95% CI: 1.56, 4.24; p-value for heterogeneity = 0.13; I 2 = 46.6%) before and after excluding an influential study, respectively. The corresponding pooled OR in populations with low arsenic concentrations in drinking water was 1.56 (95% CI: 1.21, 2.01; p-value for heterogeneity = 0.27; I 2 = 24.6%). A dose-response assessment including six studies with available data showed an increasing trend in the odds of hypertension with increasing arsenic exposure. Few studies have evaluated changes in systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP, respectively) measurements by arsenic exposure levels, and those studies reported inconclusive findings. Conclusion: In this systematic review we identified an association between arsenic and the prevalence of hypertension. Interpreting a causal effect of environmental arsenic on hypertension is limited by the small number of studies, the presence of influential studies, and the absence of prospective evidence. Additional evidence is needed to evaluate the dose-response relationship between environmental arsenic exposure and hypertension.

Arsenic exposure, diabetes prevalence, and diabetes control in the strong heart study

Gribble, M. O., Howard, B. V., Umans, J. G., Shara, N. M., Francesconi, K. A., Goessler, W., Crainiceanu, C. M., Silbergeld, E. K., Guallar, E., & Navas-Acien, A. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

American Journal of Epidemiology

Volume

176

Issue

10

Page(s)

865-874

10.1093/aje/kws153

Abstract

Abstract

This study evaluated the association of arsenic exposure, as measured in urine, with diabetes prevalence, glycated hemoglobin, and insulin resistance in American Indian adults from Arizona, Oklahoma, and North and South Dakota (1989-1991). We studied 3,925 men and women 45-74 years of age with available urine arsenic measures. Diabetes was defined as a fasting glucose level of 126 mg/dL or higher, a 2-hour glucose level of 200 mg/dL or higher, a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of 6.5 or higher, or diabetes treatment. Median urine arsenic concentration was 14.1 g/L (interquartile range, 7.9-24.2). Diabetes prevalence was 49.4. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, diabetes risk factors, and urine creatinine, the prevalence ratio of diabetes comparing the 75th versus 25th percentiles of total arsenic concentrations was 1.14 (95 confidence interval: 1.08, 1.21). The association between arsenic and diabetes was restricted to participants with poor diabetes control (HbA1c

Arsenic species and selected metals in human urine : Validation of HPLC/ICPMS and ICPMS procedures for a long-term population-based epidemiological study

Scheer, J., Findenig, S., Goessler, W., Francesconi, K. A., Howard, B., Umans, J. G., Pollak, J., Tellez-Plaza, M., Silbergeld, E. K., Guallar, E., & Navas-Acien, A. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

Analytical Methods

Volume

4

Issue

2

Page(s)

406-413

10.1039/c2ay05638k

Abstract

Abstract

Exposure to high inorganic arsenic concentrations in drinking water has been related to detrimental health effects, including cancers and possibly cardiovascular disease, in many epidemiological studies. Recent studies suggest that arsenic might elicit some of its toxic effects also at lower concentrations. The Strong Heart Study, a large epidemiological study of cardiovascular disease in American Indian communities, collected urine samples and performed medical examinations on 4549 participants over a 10 year period beginning in 1989. We used anion-exchange HPLC/ICPMS to determine concentrations of arsenic species (methylarsonate, dimethylarsinate and arsenate) in 5095 urine samples from the Strong Heart Study. We repeated the chromatography on a portion of the urine sample that had been oxidised, by addition of H 2O 2, to provide additional information on the presence of As(iii) species and thio-arsenicals, and by difference, of arsenobetaine and other non-retained cations. Total concentrations for As, Cd, Mo, Pb, Sb, Se, U, W, and Zn were also determined in the urine samples by ICPMS. The dataset will be used to evaluate the relationships between the concentrations of urinary arsenic species and selected metals with various cardiometabolic health endpoints. We present and discuss the analytical protocol put in place to produce this large and valuable dataset.

Cadmium exposure and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the U.S. general population

Tellez-Plaza, M., Navas-Acien, A., Menke, A., Crainiceanu, C. M., Pastor-Barriuso, R., & Guallar, E. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

Environmental health perspectives

Volume

120

Issue

7

Page(s)

1017-1022

10.1289/ehp.1104352

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Urine cadmium concentrations were associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in men in the 1988-1994 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) population. Since 1988, cadmium exposure has decreased substantially in the United States. The associations between blood and urine cadmium and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality at more recent levels of exposure are unknown. Objectives: We evaluated the prospective association of blood and urine cadmium concentrations with all-cause and CVD mortality in the 1999-2004 U.S. population. Methods: We followed 8,989 participants who were ≥ 20 years of age for an average of 4.8 years. Hazard ratios for mortality end points comparing the 80th to the 20th percentiles of cadmium distributions were estimated using Cox regression. Results: The multivariable adjusted hazard ratios [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] for blood and urine cadmium were 1.50 (95% CI: 1.07, 2.10) and 1.52 (95% CI: 1.00, 2.29), respectively, for all-cause mortality, 1.69 (95% CI: 1.03, 2.77) and 1.74 (95% CI: 1.07, 2.83) for CVD mortality, 1.98 (95% CI: 1.11, 3.54) and 2.53 (95% CI: 1.54, 4.16) for heart disease mortality, and 1.73 (95% CI: 0.88, 3.40) and 2.09 (95% CI: 1.06, 4.13) for coronary heart disease mortality. The population attributable risks associated with the 80th percentile of the blood (0.80 μg/L) and urine (0.57 μg/g) cadmium distributions were 7.0 and 8.8%, respectively, for all-cause mortality and 7.5 and 9.2%, respectively, for CVD mortality Conclusions: We found strongly suggestive evidence that cadmium, at substantially low levels of exposure, remains an important determinant of all-cause and CVD mortality in a representative sample of U.S. adults. Efforts to further reduce cadmium exposure in the population could contribute to a substantial decrease in CVD disease burden.

Cancer incidence in a sample of Maryland residents with serious mental illness

McGinty, E. E., Zhang, Y., Guallar, E., Ford, D. E., Steinwachs, D., Dixon, L. B., Keating, N. L., & Daumit, G. L. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

Psychiatric Services

Volume

63

Issue

7

Page(s)

714-717

10.1176/appi.ps.201100169

Abstract

Abstract

Objective: Persons with serious mental illness have an increased mortality rate and a higher burden of many medical conditions compared with persons without serious mental illness. Cancer risk in the population with serious mental illness is uncertain, and its incidence was examined by race, sex, and cancer site in a community-based cohort of adults with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Methods: The authors calculated standardized incidence ratios of total and site-specific cancers in a cohort of 3,317 Maryland Medicaid adult beneficiaries with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder followed from 1994 through 2004 for comparison with the U.S. population. Results: Total cancer incidence for adults with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder was 2.6 times higher in the cohort. Elevated risk was greatest for cancer of the lung. No differences in risk were found for African-American versus white Medicaid beneficiaries with serious mental illness. Conclusions: These findings suggest that there is a heightened risk of cancer among adults with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Clinicians should promote appropriate cancer screening and work to reduce modifiable risk factors, such as smoking, among persons with serious mental illness.

Cardiovascular disease prevention in women : A rapidly evolving scenario

Guallar, E., Stranges, S., & Guallar, E. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases

Volume

22

Issue

12

Page(s)

1013-1018

10.1016/j.numecd.2012.10.001

Abstract

Abstract

The past decade has witnessed a long overdue recognition of the importance of CVD in women, accompanied by an increasing awareness of gender differences in risk factors, natural history, preventive strategies, treatment, and prognosis of CVD. Reflecting the disease burden and the specific aspects of CVD in women, the American Heart Association has developed women-specific evidence-based guidelines and consensus documents for CVD prevention. The most recent update of these guidelines, published in 2011, is a milestone in the field and shows the rapidly evolving scenario of CVD prevention in women. We discuss some novel aspects of the 2011 update. The new guidelines change the focus from evidence-based to effectiveness-based, with consideration of both benefits and harms/costs of preventive interventions. The guidelines also introduce " ideal cardiovascular health" as the lowest category of risk, which implies the need of communitywide preventive, educational and policy initiatives to promote healthy lifestyles in the general population. Furthermore, the guidelines emphasize long-term overall CVD risk rather than short-term coronary risk. We also address several barriers and open questions in the evaluation and implementation of these guidelines, including how to increase the small proportion of women with ideal cardiovascular health; how to increase implementation and compliance with the recommendations; how to provide effectiveness-based recommendations for lifetime prevention goals based on short-term trials; how to obtain the best possible evidence in women; how to identify subgroups of women with different cardiovascular risk profiles or who may require tailored preventive strategies; and how to adapt current guidelines to international settings, particularly to low- and middle-income countries.

Combined cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and C-reactive protein levels identify a cohort at low risk for defibrillator firings and death

Wu, K. C., Gerstenblith, G., Guallar, E., Marine, J. E., Dalal, D., Cheng, A., Marbán, E., Lima, J. A., Tomaselli, G. F., & Weiss, R. G. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging

Volume

5

Issue

2

Page(s)

178-186

10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.111.968024

Abstract

Abstract

Background-Annually, ≈80 000 Americans receive guideline-based primary prevention implantable cardioverterdefibrillators (ICDs), but appropriate firing rates are low. Current selection criteria for ICDs rely on left ventricular ejection fraction, which lacks sensitivity and specificity. Because scar-related myocardial tissue heterogeneity is a substrate for life-threatening arrhythmias, we hypothesized that cardiac magnetic resonance identification of myocardial heterogeneity improves risk stratification through (1) its association with adverse cardiac events independent of clinical factors and biomarker levels and (2) its ability to identify particularly high-and low-risk subgroups. Methods and Results-In 235 patients with chronic ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy with a left ventricular ejection fraction of ≤35% undergoing clinically indicated primary prevention ICD implantation, gadolinium-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance was prospectively performed to quantify the amount of heterogeneous myocardial tissue (gray zone [GZ]) and dense core scar. Serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and other biomarkers were assayed. The primary end point was appropriate ICD shock for ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation or cardiac death, which occurred in 45 (19%) patients at a 3.6-year median follow-up. On univariable analysis, only diuretics, hsCRP, GZ, and core scar were associated with outcome. After multivariable adjustment, GZ and hsCRP remained independently associated with outcome (P

Correspondence

Wu, K. C., Gerstenblith, G., Marine, J. E., Dalal, D., Cheng, A., Lima, J. A., Tomaselli, G. F., Weiss, R. G., Guallar, E., & Marban, E. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging

Volume

5

Issue

4

Page(s)

e53

10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.112.977215

Abstract

Abstract

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Effects of vitamin c supplementation on blood pressure : A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Juraschek, S. P., Guallar, E., Appel, L. J., & Miller, E. R. (n.d.).

Publication year

2012

Journal title

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Volume

95

Issue

5

Page(s)

1079-1088

10.3945/ajcn.111.027995

Abstract

Abstract

Background: In observational studies, increased vitamin C intake, vitamin C supplementation, and higher blood concentrations of vitamin C are associated with lower blood pressure (BP). However, evidence for blood pressure-lowering effects of vitamin C in clinical trials is inconsistent. Objective: The objective was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials that examined the effects of vitamin C supplementation on BP. Design: We searched Medline, EMBASE, and Central databases from 1966 to 2011. Prespecified inclusion criteria were as follows: 1) use of a randomized controlled trial design; 2) trial reported effects on systolic BP (SBP) or diastolic BP (DBP) or both; 3) trial used oral vitamin C and concurrent control groups; and 4) trial had a minimum duration of 2 wk. BP effects were pooled by random-effects models, with trials weighted by inverse variance. Results: Twenty-nine trials met eligibility criteria for the primary analysis. The median dose was 500 mg/d, the median duration was 8 wk, and trial sizes ranged from 10 to 120 participants. The pooled changes in SBP and DBP were -3.84 mm Hg (95% CI: -5.29, -2.38 mm Hg; P < 0.01) and -1.48 mm Hg (95% CI: -2.86, -0.10 mm Hg; P = 0.04), respectively. In trials in hypertensive participants, corresponding reductions in SBP and DBP were -4.85 mm Hg (P < 0.01) and -1.67 mm Hg (P = 0.17). After the inclusion of 9 trials with imputed BP effects, BP effects were attenuated but remained significant. Conclusions: In short-term trials, vitamin C supplementation reduced SBP and DBP. Long-term trials on the effects of vitamin C supplementation on BP and clinical events are needed.