Cardiovascular Imaging Core Research Laboratory

Elaine M. Urbina, MD

Title

Director, Preventive Cardiology

Appointment

Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Phone

513-636-8265

Fax

513-636-0162

Bio

Elaine M. Urbina, MD, graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in 1988. She subsequently trained in Pediatrics at the University of California at San Francisco. She completed her Pediatric Cardiology fellowship at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1994 where she accepted an Assistant Professor position.

In addition to practicing clinical Pediatric Cardiology at Tulane, she was also Director of Preventive Cardiology and the Pediatric Echocardiography Laboratory. Her research interests led her to join the world-renowned Bogalusa Heart Study, one of the longest running epidemiologic studies of CV risk factors in children. As Co-Investigator under the tutelage of Dr. Gerald S. Berenson, she initiated the non-invasive imaging program and supervised collection of CV data for over a decade.

Dr. Urbina joined Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center as Associate Professor in October of 2003 and became Director of Preventive Cardiology in 2006. This new opportunity allowed her to concentrate her clinical practice on the diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure and cholesterol. She continues her research studies concentrating on non-invasive imaging methods to measure atherosclerosis with a focus on vascular function abnormalities using the modalities of:

Carotid Ultrasound
Arterial Stiffness
Endothelial Function

Her current research includes the application of these new techniques to study the roles that pre- and post-natal nutrition, overweight, high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes play in the development of hardening of the arteries.

Credentials

MD: Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, 1988.

Residency: University of California, San Francisco, CA, 1990; Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 1991 (Pediatrics).

Fellowship: Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 1994 (Pediatric Cardiology).

Certifciation: Pediatrics 1991; Pediatric Cardiology 1994.

Awards and Honors

Elected member, Society for Pediatric Research
Honorary Member, Nicaraguan Cardiology Association
Scholarship recipient, Mid-Career Women Faculty Professional Development Seminar, American Association of Medical Colleges
Young Faculty Award, Southern Society for Clinical Research
Merck Manual Award for Scholastics (Awarded to top 5 medical students)
Women Physician's Council Award (Awarded to top female graduate)
Alpha Omega Alpha, Medical Honor Society
Lange Book Award for Scholastics (Awarded to top 2 medical students)
Lange Book Award for Service (Directed medical school notetaking service)

Research

Non-invasive assessment of Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) especially related to overweight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Research Grants and Contracts

Modifying Dietary Behavior in Adolescents with Elevated Blood Pressure (NIH R01 HL088567-01A1). Principal Investigator Dr. S. Couch, Co-Investigator EM Urbina, 2008-2012.

Mechanisms of Vascular Dysfunction in Obesity & the Metabolic Syndrome (NIH 1 K23 HL080447 01A1), Principal Investigator EM Urbina, 2005-2010.

CV Disease in Adolescents with Type 2 Diabetes (NIH R01 HL076269), Principal Investigator Dr. T Kimball, Co-Investigator EM Urbina, 2005-2010.

Intra cranial Carotid Calcification, Calcification, CV Risk Factors & Vascular Function in Children & Adolescents (BGIA 0565294B), Principal Investigator EM Urbina, 2005-2008.

Landmarks in the Progression to type 2 diabetes (NIH R01 DK59183). Principal Investigator Dr. L Dolan. Co-Investigator. EM Urbina 2003-present.

The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth CV Sub-Study. Principal Investigator Dr. L Dolan. Co-investigator EM Urbina. 2004-present.

Mechanisms Mediating Cardiac and Vascular Disease in Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. (NIH R01 HL70907), Principal Investigator Dr. R Amin, Collaborating Investigator EM Urbina, 2003-present.

Evolution of Cardiovascular Risk with Normal Aging (NIH RO1 AG16592-01A2), Principal Investigator Dr. G Berenson, Co-Investigator EM Urbina 2000-present.

Early Natural History of Arteriosclerosis: The Bogalusa Heart Study (NIH 2 R01 HL 38844-11A1), Principal Investigator Dr. G Berenson, Co-Investigator EM Urbina 2000-present.

Funded Training Programs

Pediatric Carotid Ultrasound and Arterial Function Training Institute

Publications, Most Recent

Urbina EM, Bean JA, Daniels SR, D'Alessio D, Dolan LM. Overweight and Hyperinsulinemia Provide Individual Contributions to Compromises in Brachial Artery Distensibility in Healthy Adolescents and Young Adults. JASH 2007;1:200-207.

Urbina EM, Kieltkya L, Tsai J, Srinivasan SR, Berenson GS. Impact of multiple cardiovascular risk factors on brachial artery distensibility in young adults: The Bogalusa Heart Study. Am J Hypertens 2005;18:767-771.

Urbina EM, Srinivasan SR, Kieltyka RL, Tang R, Bond MG, Chen W, Berenson GS. Correlates of carotid artery stiffness in young adults: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Atherosclerosis 2004;176:157-64.

Kieltyka L, Urbina EM, Tang R, Bond MG, Srinivasan SR, Berenson GS. Framingham Risk score is related to carotid artery intima-media thickness in both white and black young adults: The Bogalusa Heart Study. Atherosclerosis 2003;170:125-130.

Freedman DS, Dietz WH, Tang R, Mensah GA, Bond MG, Urbina EM, Srinivasan S, Berenson GS. The relation of obesity throughout life to carotid intima-media thickness in adulthood: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2003;28:159-166.

Li S, Chen W, Srinivasan SR, Bond MG, Tang R, Urbina EM, Berenson GS. Childhood cardiovascular risk factors and carotid vascular changes in adulthood: the Bogalusa Heart Study. JAMA 2003;290:2271-2276.

Books

Urbina EM, Daniels SR. Hypertension and Dyslipidemia. In Slap GB. ed. Adolescent Medicine: Requisites in Pediatrics. Philadelphia: Mosby, October 2006.

Urbina EM, Srinivasan SR, Berenson GS. Epidemiology of Essential Hypertension in Children: The Bogalusa Heart Study. Pediatric hypertension. Portman RJ, Sorof JM, Ingelfinger JR eds., Totowa, N.J.: Humana Press, 2004.

Presentations, Most Recent

Urbina, EM. "CV risk factors. Promoting Heart Health in the Liver Transplant Recipient," Lecture presented to NIDDK at the Improving Long-term Outcomes for Pediatric Liver Transplantation Clinical Research Workshop, February 12, 2007, Washington, D.C.

Urbina, EM. "Assessment of Vascular Structure and Endothelial Dysfunction, Application to the Study of CV Risk in Pediatric Patients," Faculty lecture presented at the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology Symposium at the Pediatric Academic Society meeting, May 5, 2007, Toronto, Canada.

Urbina, EM. "Lessons Learned from the Bogalusa Heart Study, the Origins of Hypertension are Found in Youth," Faculty lecture presented at the American Society of Hypertension national meeting, May 22, 2007, Chicago, IL.

Urbina, EM. "Cuidado del Adulto con Cardiopatía Congénita," (Care of the Adult with Congenital Heart Disease). Lecture presented in Spanish at the VII Congreso de Cardiología, June 30, 2007, Managua, Nicaragua.

Urbina, EM. "Vascular Function Testing. Newest Methods to Measure Target Organ Damage Related to CV Risk Factors," Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky Society of Echocardiography Annual Echo Update Seminar. September 22, 2007, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Urbina, EM. "Hypertension as a CV risk factor. Epidemiology, target organ damage and BP studies in children and adolescents," Lecture presented to NHLBI staff at the National Institutes of Health, October 30, 2006, Bethesda, MD.

Urbina EM, Wadwa RP, Dabelea D, Daniels SR, Snively BM, Davis C, Hamman RF, Dolan L. Arterial Dysfunction in Adolescents with Diabetes – The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study. Presented at the American Society for Hypertension national meeting, Abstract in J Clin Hypertens 2006;8(suppl A):A22 (abstract P-34).

Urbina E, Shao M, Bean JA, Dolan LM, Changes In Brachial Artery Distensibility Related To CV Risk Factors In Healthy Adolescents. Presented at the American Society for Hypertension national meeting, Abstract in Am J Hypertens 2005;18:22A.

Urbina, EM. "The Heart in Pediatric Hypertension," Presented at the XXXIII Pediatric Nephrology Seminar, March 1, 2005, Miami, Florida.

Urbina EM. "Actualización del Informe 2004 del Instituto Nacional de Salud de los EE.UU. en Hipertensión en Niños," (update on the NIH 2004 report on hypertension in children), "Diagnóstico y Tratamiento de Colesterol Alto en Adolescentes," (diagnosis and treatment of high cholesterol in adolescents), "Efectos Cardiovasculares de Obesidad, Hipertensión y Colesterol Alto en Niños," (CV effects of obesity, hypertension and high cholesterol in children). VI Congreso de Cardiología. Lectures presented in Spanish, April 8, 2005, Managua, Nicaragua.

Urbina, EM. "What's New in Pediatric Hypertension - Insights from the 2004 National Institutes of Health Report," First Latin-American Symposium of Cardiovascular Disease in Women, presented in May 1, 2005, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Urbina, EM. "Consecuencias Adversas de Obesidad en Niños" (adverse consequences of obesity in children) and "Efectos de Lactancia Materna en Función Vascular en Adolescentes," (effects of breast feeding on vascular function in adolescents).. Presented in Spanish to the Department of Nutrition at the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición, July 22, 2005, Mexico City, Mexico.

Urbina EM, Bean JA, Daniels SR, Dolan LM. Overweight and Insulin Resistance Provide Individual Contributions to Compromises in Brachial Artery Distensibility in Healthy Adolescents. Presented at the American Diabetes Association national meeting, San Diego, Abstract in Diabetes 2005;54 (suppl 1);A52 (abstract 208-OR).