Global Health Research

Summary

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) sponsored Center of Excellence at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting (UPCH) in Lima, Peru is a joint effort between UPCH and the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. The mission of this Center is to build a long-term sustainable research infrastructure in Peru, with a focus on non-communicable cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.

Our study has two main objectives: 1. Investigate the geographical variation in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and disease incidence over a period of 4 years. 2. Estimate the disease burden and influence of outdoor and indoor air pollution on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Specific Aims are: 1. Determine the CVD risk factors in three sites at different stages of urbanization: peri-urban Lima (Capital, coastal Peru), Tumbes (northern semi-urban coastal Peru) and Puno (southern rural highlands). 2. Estimate disease progression to hypertension and diabetes from a baseline disease-free status among participants in all three study sites. 3. Estimate the prevalence of COPD in three cities with varying degrees of urbanization, altitude and sources of energy for cooking. 4. Characterize the longitudinal rate of decline in lung function (measured by spirometry) over a 4-year period in the three study-populations described.

We hypothesize that there are differences in: 1) the prevalence and risk factors of both CVD and COPD, 2) the rate of disease progression to hypertension and diabetes; and, 3) the rate of lung function decline between populations.