Aragon stars in a large study of cardiovascular prevention

-More than 5000 people participating in the study of health workers of Aragon, also known as Aragon Workers´ Health Study (AWHS)
his team of specialists collaborates with researchers around the world

-En Aragon have advanced technology for research in the early diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and its development

Zaragoza, April 2012.- in the year 2009 started in Aragon the AWHS research project fruit of the collaboration between the Government of Aragón with the Aragonese Institute of health sciences and the national centre of cardiovascular research (CNIC). This study is a landmark in the advancement of knowledge and the prevention of cardiovascular disease, with the goal of establishing the causes by which people develop more frequently than other myocardial infarction and stroke.

The importance of this study is that attempts to unravel the mechanisms leading to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are responsible for 42% of the deaths in our country, being, therefore, the main causes of death in Spain, ahead of others, such as cancer.

This year, the AWHS had been reached already a big number: 5360 participating volunteers, which makes it the largest such study done at Spain and one of the most important in Europe. Is the first time that we have in Spain of such quality information of more than 5,000 people, which is performed with a clinical follow-up in the context of the project research and a BioBank which already contains more than 180,000 DNA samples, bloodserum and urine of them. From these data we hope to obtain scientific evidence on new techniques applied to the improvement of cardiovascular prevention. The ultimate goal is to try to detect early subjects who have one higher risk of disease and therefore, to which we must apply preventive measures as a priority and most insistent form ”, explains Dr. José Antonio Casasnovas, principal investigator of the AWHS.

The study is a pioneer: on the one hand, for being the first research project CNIC carried out with an autonomous community and, on the other, by the special collaboration between research centres and private enterprise (volunteers are employees of General Motors in Figueruelas).

It should be noted the efforts of the Government of Aragon through the Aragonese Institute of Sciences of health, leading this AWHS, and the fact that among the main partners of the same is the national centre of Cardiovascular Research, dependent of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III of Madrid, whose director, Dr. Valentin Fuster is heavily involved in this project ” continues Dr. Casasnovas. In addition, Aragon is blessed with two global study of CVD, Drs. Ordovás and Guallar while working outside our country, in Boston and Baltimore, are researchers associated with the IASC and the AWHS Scientific Committee members regarding ” adds.

Methodology

All the volunteers are annually a blood test and collected samples (blood, serum, plasma, urine and DNA) that will become part of the future BioBank of Aragon. The physical examination is performed on a second visit: weight, height, perimeter of abdominal waist, blood pressure, physical examination and electrocardiogram.

To a smaller group, one-third of the template, every three years (1,000 people, until today) they are invasive imaging techniques that provide information on the State of the wall of your arteries and can see its evolution in time.

Volunteers

General Motors has facilities of more than 2000 m2 for continuing medical care and the prevention of occupational hazards and a team of medical specialists in occupational medicine and health experts in that field. Contacted GM for its structural features: a very stable workforce, with high participation of employees in the examinations of health, long history of collaboration in prevention projects and special conditions relating to quality and occupational… Without the high voluntary participation – 95% of the people who carried out the medical examination of the company agreed to participate in the study and, in general, the support of the entire company, all the progress we are making with this study would not be possible ”, says the DRA. Montserrat León, the AWHS Clinical Coordinator.

Diagnostics methods more advanced of the time

In the study have advanced diagnostic imaging techniques, as the TAC in 3D for the study of coronary arteries and the measurement of calcium density that offers valuable information for the detection of vascular disease is its initial phase ”. However, the usefulness of this test at the population level is still in research phase.

The AWHS also uses high-definition and 3D ultrasound technology for the study of the arteries carotid, aorta, iliac and femoral.

Applications

Other important sub-projects of research related to genetics, metabolism, including nanotechnology or biosensors to determine with accuracy, speed and economy different biomarkers for CVD are born from the AWHS.

Spain

CVD are presented in Spain an average of 7 years later than in other European countries. Although we know the benefits of the Mediterranean diet (fruits, vegetables, olive oil, fish, wine or dried fruit …) the question is that our food and living habits are changing and, to date, for example, Spain has the highest prevalence of children with overweight or obesity in Europe. How to evolve the cardiovascular disease in our country is something which we must not lose sight. We must return to lifestyle habits more cardio and decrease overweight and obesity ”, said DRA. León.

AWHS

It is precisely in this context the AWHS was born in 2009 in order to identify genetic determinants and lifestyle that determine the appearance and progression of cardiovascular risk factors: obesity, hypertension, Dyslipidemia, diabetes, smoking and sedentary lifestyle, towards CVD. Today it is composed of a multidisciplinary team consisting of biochemists and physicians. Laboratory procedures are accredited under the ISO 9001: 2008 norm.