Cardiovascular Epidemiology and Genetics

 Research group

Group Leader

Roberto Elosua Llanos

The group focuses on the study of the epidemiology and genetic basis of cardiovascular disorders and their risk factors. The group participates in international consortia using genome-wide and exome sequencing approaches to identify common and rare variants associated with cardiovascular traits. We are also interested in the study of epigenetic signatures, mainly DNA methylation, related to these diseases.  The research team comprises a multidisciplinary group of epidemiologists, biologists, biochemists, clinicians and biostatisticians who work together to tackle these topics.  We use this knowledge to identify new mechanisms and new predictive biomarkers, and to define instrumental variables to assess the causal relationship between a biomarker and a cardiovascular phenotype.

The members of the group also participate in the REGICOR (REgistre GIroní del COR) study to determine the burden of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors at the population level, and to develop and improve cardiovascular risk functions. We are also actively exploring the dose-response relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular disease, and the mechanisms by which physical activity reduces cardiovascular risk. Finally, we are also exploring, developing and evaluating new approaches to improve cardiovascular prevention by using new information-technology tools.

 

Members

Albert Clarà Velasco (Researcher)

Maria Grau Magaña (Researcher)

Alina Velescu (Researcher)

Alba Fernández Sanlés (PhD Student)

Sergi Sayols Baixeras (PhD Student)

Maria del Mar Vila Muñoz (PhD Student)

Esther Cáceres Malagelada (Technician)

Marta Cabañero Marimón (Technician)

Leny Franco Rojas (Technician)

Lidia Pérez Cuevas (Technician)

Isabel Pérez Sánchez (Technician)

Maria Lluïsa Piña Cànaves (Technician)

Isaac Subirana Cachinero (Technician)

Esmeralda Gómez Pires (Research Assistant)

 

Main Publications

• Evangelou E, Warren HR, Mosen-Ansorena D, Mifsud B, Pazoki R, Gao H, Ntritsos G, Dimou N, Cabrera CP, Karaman I, et al. Genetic analysis of over 1 million people identifies 535 new loci associated with blood pressure traits. Nat Genet 2018; 50(10): 1412-1425. IF 27.125. D1.

• Ramos R, Comas-Cufí M, Martí-Lluch R, Balló E, Ponjoan A, Alves-Cabratosa L, Blanch J, Marrugat J, Elosua R, Grau M, Elosua-Bayés M, García-Ortiz L, Garcia-Gil M. Statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular events and mortality in old and very old adults with and without type 2 diabetes: retrospective cohort study. BMJ 2018; 362: k3359. IF 23.259. D1.

• Emdin CA, Khera AV, Klarin D, Natarajan P, Zekavat SM, Nomura A, Haas ME, Aragam K, Ardissino D, Wilson JG, Schunkert H, McPherson R, Watkins H, Elosua R, Bown MJ, Samani NJ, Baber U, Erdmann J, Gormley P, Palotie A, Stitziel N, Gupta N, Danesh JN, Saleheen D, Gabriel SB, Kathiresan S. Phenotypic Consequences of a Genetic Predisposition to Enhanced Nitric Oxide Signaling. Circulation 2018; 137(3): 222-232. IF 18.88. D1.

• Comín J, Manito N, Segovia-Cubero J, Delgado J, García Pinilla JM, Almenar L, Crespo-Leiro MG, Sionis A, Blasco T, Pascual-Figal D, González- Vílchez F, Lambert-Rodríguez JL, Grau M, Bruguera J, on behalf of the LION-HEART Study Investigators. Efficacy and safety of intermittent intravenous outpatient administration of levosimendan in patients with advanced heart failure: the LION-HEART multicentre randomised trial. Eur J Heart Failure 2018; 20(7): 1128-1136. IF 10.683. D1.

• Garcia-Gil M, Comas-Cufí M, Blanch J, Martí R, Ponjoan A, Alves-Cabratosa L, Petersen I, Marrugat J, Elosua R, Grau M, Ramos R. Effectiveness of statins as primary prevention in people with different cardiovascular risk: A population-based cohort study. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2018; 104(4): 719-732. IF 6.544. D1.

• Fernández-Sanlés A, Sayols-Baixeras S, Curcio S, Subirana I, Marrugat J, Elosua R. DNA Methylation and Age-Independent Cardiovascular Risk, an Epigenome-Wide Approach: The REGICOR (REgistre GIroní del COR) Study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2018; 38(3): 645-652. IF 6.086. D1.

• Baena-Díez JM, Garcia-Gil M, Comas-Cufí M, Ramos R, Prieto-Alhambra D, Salvador-González B, Elosua R, Degano IR, Peñafiel J, Grau M. Association between chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases and cardiovascular risk. Heart 2018; 104(2): 119-126. IF 5.42. Q1.

• Vázquez-Oliva G, Zamora A, Ramos R, Marti R, Subirana I, Grau M, Degano IR, Marrugat J, Elosua R. Tasas de incidencia y mortalidad, y letalidad poblacional a 28 días del infarto agudo de miocardio en adultos mayores. Estudio REGICOR. Rev Esp Cardiol 2018; 71(9): 718-725. IF 5.166. Q1.

• Iribarren C, Lu M, Jorgenson E, Martínez M, Lluís-Ganella C, Subirana I, Salas E, Elosua R. Weighted Multi-marker Genetic Risk Scores for Incident Coronary Heart Disease among Individuals of African, Latino and East-Asian Ancestry. Sci Rep 2018; 8(1): 6853. IF 4.122. Q1.

• Subirana I, Fitó M, Díaz O, Vila JS, Francés A, Delpon E, Sanchis J, Elosua R, Muñoz D, Degano IR, Marrugat J. Prediction of coronary disease incidence by biomarkers of inflammation, oxidation, and metabolism. Sci Rep 2018; 8(1): 3191. IF 4.122. Q1.

• Barroso M, Vila M, Zomeño MD, Martí-Lluch R, Cordon F, Ramos R, Elosua R, Dégano IR, Fitó M, Cabezas C, Salvador G, Castell C, Grau M. Validity of a method for the self-screening of cardiovascular risk. Clin Epidemiol 2018; 10: 549-560. IF 3.799. Q1.

Ongoing Research Projects

• Eficacia de una aplicación móvil para la prevención de las enfermedades cardiovasculares a través del empoderamiento individual y comunitario

- Financing institution: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (PI17/00250)

- Period: from 2018 to 2020

- Principal investigator: Grau Magaña, Maria

• Seguiment de la cohort poblacional de l’estudi REGICOR: tendències en la incidència de malaltia cardiovascular, en la prevalença de factors de risc, identificació de nous mecanismes i biomarcadors predictius, i avaluació d’estratègies de prevenció

- Financing institution: Departament de Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya (SLT002/16/00088)

- Period: from 2017 to 2019

- Principal investigator: Elosua Llanos, Roberto

• La metilación del ADN y el infarto agudo de miocardio: ¿biomarcador de riesgo y mediador de los efectos de estilos de vida?

- Financing institution: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (PI15/00051)

- Period: from 2016 to 2018

- Principal investigator: Elosua Llanos, Roberto

• Validez y efectividad de un método de auto-cribado del riesgo cardiovascular

- Financing institution: Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (PI14/00449)

- Period: from 2015 to 2018

- Principal investigator: Grau Magaña, Maria

 

Participation in Research Networks

• CIBER Enfermedades Cardiovaculares

- Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria. ISCIII (CB16/11/00229)

- Principal investigator: Elosua Llanos, Roberto

 

Group’s Recognitions

• Our research group is part of the Grup de Recerca REGICOR (REgistre Gironí del Cor), officially recognised as a consolidated research group by the Generalitat de Catalunya (2017-2020)

- Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (SGR 222)

- Principal investigator: Marrugat de la Iglesia, Jaume

 

Theses

• Ribas, N. Influència pronòstica del Codi Infart en els pacients amb infart agut de miocardi amb elevació del segment ST. Anàlisi del control dels factors de risc cardiovascular. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

- Directors: Elosua Llanos, Roberto; Garcia, C.

- Date of defense: 13/11/2018

 

Other

• Roberto Elosua Llanos. Prize for the best articles presented in the Spanish Journal of Cardiology. Sociedad Española de Cardiología (SEC). 20/08/2018.

 

 

 

 

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