University of Colorado Denver

PROJECT TITLE
Healing Hearts

FUNDING SOURCE
NHLB/NIH

DATES OF FUNDING
2003-2008

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S)
Spero M. Manson, PhD.

CENTER STAFF INVOLVED
Doug Bremmer, Viola Vaccarino, Jack Goldberg, Dedra Buchwald, John Carroll, Lisa Bighorn

 
SPECIFIC AIMS/RESEARCH GOALS:
This study has 3 Specific Aims:

1. to determine whether individuals with PTSD, compared to those without PTSD, show greater evidence of subclinical CVD, including a lower coronary flow reserve, and an increased carotid intima-media thickness;
2. to ascertain whether HRV is lower in individuals with PTSD compared to those without PTSD, a reduction in HRV is a risk factor for coronary arrhythmias and sudden death; and
3. to investigate the role of lifestyle (e.g., smoking, alcohol use, exercise, obesity, oral health), cultural (e.g., acculturation, religiosity), and biological (e.g., blood pressure, blood lipid and glucose concentrations) mediators in the relationship of PTSD with coronary flow reserve and HRV.

RESEARCH DESIGN: N/A

PARTICIPANTS: 
The proposed study will examine the association between PTSD and subclinical CVD in AIs.  The SUPERPFP database will be used to identify a group of Northern Plains AIs who were free from CVD and had a DSM-IV diagnosis of lifetime PTSD in the initial study conducted from (1997-1999).  A comparison group of Northern Plains AIs matched on age, sex and tribe, without CVD or PTSD will be randomly selected from the same database.  Each selected individual will be invited to undergo a comprehensive clinical and laboratory evaluation to assess the nature and extent of current CVD risk factors, current CVD, and determine if markers of subclinical disease are present more frequently among individuals with PTSD than among those free from PTSD after controlling for various demographic, clinical, and cultural factors.

MEASURES:

PUBLICATIONS:
None at this time.