The SCRC consolidates professionals in the areas of study coordination, medical database development and management, and biostatistics and epidemiology into a unified center with the purpose of efficiently and effectively coordinating both single and multicentered clinical research. Research (typically clinical trials or natural history studies) is funded either by the National Institutes of Health, other governmental agencies, or organizations in the private sector (e.g., pharmaceutical companies).

For each of the studies listed below, SCRC investigators and staff participated in the study design, study conduct and coordination, data management and monitoring, data reporting, statistical analysis and the preparation of manuscripts. Recent and current funded clinical research studies are listed below:

Completed Studies:

THE CHOLESTEROL LOWERING ATHEROSCLEROSIS STUDY, CLAS (NIH R01-HL-23619) was a randomized, placebo-controlled, serial arterial imaging trial, designed to provide a comprehensive survey of the effects of colestipol-niacin plus dietary therapy on the progression of atherosclerosis in the coronary, femoral, and carotid arterial beds. Collaborative study with the USC Atherosclerosis Research Unit of the Department of Medicine.

THE MONITORED ATHEROSCLEROSIS REGRESSION STUDY, MARS (MERCK RESEARCH LABS) was a randomized, placebo-controlled, serial arterial imaging trial, designed to provide a comprehensive survey of the effects of lovastatin plus dietary therapy on the progression of atherosclerosis in the coronary and carotid arterial beds. Collaborative study with the USC Atherosclerosis Research Unit of the Department of Medicine.

SILICONE STUDY (NIH -U01-EY-05571) was a multicentered, controlled randomized tria evaluating the risks and benefits of silicone oil vs. long-acting gas as tamponades in the surgical treatment of retinal detachments due to proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Collaborative study with the USC Department of Ophthalmology.

ETHNICITY AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES (PHS R01-HS-07001) was a survey of 800 individuals aged 65 or older conducted in Los Angeles County in order to determine the attitudes of individuals of varying ethnic backgrounds toward patient autonomy in medical decision making. Collaborative study with the USC Division of Internal Medicine of the Department of Medicine and the Pacific Law Center of the USC School of Law.

WELL-ELDERLY STUDY (NIH R01-AG-11810) was a randomized field study designed to evaluate the effect of group occupational therapy on the quality of life, physical and social functioning and independent living ability of the urban low-income well elderly. Collaborative study with the USC Department of Occupational Science.

TROGLITAZONE IN THE PREVENTION OF DIABETES TRIAL (TRIPOD, PARKE-DAVIS) is a randomized clinical trial evaluating the risks and benefits of troglitazone on blood glucose and glycohemoglobin concentrations in women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus. Collaborative study with the USC Division of Endocrinology of the Department of Medicine.

TROGLITAZONE ATHEROSCLEROSIS REGRESSION TRIAL (TART, PARKE-DAVIS) is a randomized clinical trial evaluating the risks and benefits of troglitazone on the progression of atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes. Collaborative study with the USC Atherosclerosis Research Unit and Division of Endocrinology of the Department of Medicine. Follow-up is now completed. Data analyses in progress at this time.

TREATMENT OF SUDDEN UNEXPLAINED DEATH SYNDROME WITH THE IMPLANTABLE CARDIAC DEFIBRILLATOR (SUDS, FRIENDS OF MEDICAL SCIENCES and GUIDANT, INC.) is a randomized, clinical trial evaluating the risks and benefits of the implantable cardiac defibrillator vs. beta-blocker therapy in the treatment of patients with SUDS. Collaborative study with the USC Division of Cardiology and investigators in Thailand. Data analyses in progress at this time.

RECOVERY AND REHABILITATION OF ARM USE AFTER STROKE (NIH R03-HD-36212) is a pilot study to assess the feasibility of conducting a large scale, randomized, clinical trial evaluating the short and long-term effectiveness of three physical rehabilitative interventions on restoration of arm use after unilateral stroke. Collaborative study with the USC Department of Physical Therapy and Biokinesiology. Data analyses in progress at this time.

ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO SMOKE: SERUM ANTIOXIDANTS AND EARLY ATHEROSCLEROSIS (TRDRP-6RT-0137) is a cohort study examining exposures to active and passive smoking in relation to atherosclerosis and progression of atherosclerosis.
ON-GOING STUDIES:

PATHOGENESIS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES IN LATINO WOMEN (NIH R01-DK-46374) is a 10-year cohort study designed to develop strategies for prevention of diabetes in Latino women with gestational diabetes. The primary hypothesis is that the subset of Latino women with gestational diabetes who are at highest risk for diabetes have a defect that limits pancreatic B-cell compensation for insulin resistance.

WELL-HART (NIH R01-HL-49298) is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind, serial coronary angiographic/carotid ultrasonographic trial of lipid lowering and hormonal replacement therapy in 216 postmenopausal women. Collaborative study with the USC Atherosclerosis Research Unit of the Department of Medicine.

VITAMIN E ATHEROSCLEROSIS TRIAL (VEAPS, NIH R01-AG-13860) is a randomized, placebo-controlled, non-invasive serial arterial imaging primary prevention trial with vitamin E supplementation in 300 men and women without clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease. Collaborative study with the USC Atherosclerosis Research Unit of the Department of Medicine.

B VITAMIN ATHEROSCLEROSIS TRIAL (BVAIT, NIH R01-AG-17160) is a randomized, placebo-controlled, non-invasive serial arterial imaging primary prevention trial with vitamin B supplementation in 450 men and women without clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease. Collaborative study with the USC Atherosclerosis Research Unit of the Department of Medicine.

LOS ANGELES LATINO EYE STUDY (LALES, NIH R01-EY-11753) is a large-scale survey to determine the prevalence of blindness, visual impairment and ocular disease among adult non-institutionalized Latinos in urban Los Angeles County. In addition, LALES will estimate the importance of various risk factors for each ocular disease, determine the impact of eye conditions on quality of life, and evaluate factors associated with the utilization of eye care and medical services.

PHYSICAL FITNESS AND CARDIOVASCULAR MORTALITY IN FIREFIGHTERS (NIH R01-HL-58227) is a cohort study designed to examine the relationship between longitudinal changes in physical activity and physical fitness with changes in cardiovascular risk factors and mortality.

IMPROVED MEASUREMENT OF VASCULAR STIFFNESS IN AGING: BIOSTATISTICS MODULE (NIH R01-AG-15139) is a study designed to develop methods to reliably evaluate the stiffness of arteries for use in observational and clinical trials.

PROGRESSION OF CORONARYCALCIFICATION (SBHW, NIH R01 HL-63963) is a longitudinal, observational cohort study evaluating the prognostic ability of coronary calcium indices in the prediction of clinical coronary endpoints. Collaborative study with UCLA/Harbor General Hospital.

TOBACCO EXPOSURE AND SUBCLINICAL ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN NIDDM (TRDRP 9RT-0031) is a retrospective study to study the relationship between tobacco exposure and subclinical atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis progression in diabetic populations.

B VITAMIN ATHEROSCLEROSIS TRIAL - COGNITIVE SUPPLEMENT (BVAIT, NIH R01-AG-17160) is a supplement to the BVAIT proposal that will evaluate the degree of cognitive function improvement with the administration of a B-vitamin supplement, and longitudinal associations between changes in serum levels of vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate and homocysteine and changes in cognitive functions. This study is in collaboration with the Atherosclerosis Research Unit, and the Department of Neurology.

ALZHEIMERS DISEASE RESEARCH CENTER-SUPPLEMENT (NIA P50-AG-05142). This supplement proposes to evaluate levels of cognition in the cohort from the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study.

ESTROGEN PREVENTION OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS TRIAL (EPAT, NIHR01-AG-18798). This follow-up study will analyze the mechanisms supporting the efficacy of unopposed-estradiol in the treatment of atherosclerosis. This study is in collaboration with the Atherosclerosis Research Unit.