Objectives The Heart and Vascular Health Study (HVH) is a case-control study of risk factors for the development of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, venous thrombosis (VT), and atrial fibrillation (AF). The study setting is Group Health, an integrated health care delivery system in Washington State. Only VT cases and early-onset AF cases are included as part of TOPMed. Background The HVH study originated in 1988 with the examination of risk factors for MI. Over the ensuing years, the study has been funded by a series of grants which have added case subjects with stroke, VT, and AF. Study aims focused on the associations of medication use with cardiovascular events, and starting in 1997, the study aims expanded to include genetic associations with cardiovascular disease. Participants recruited in 2009 or later who provided blood samples for genetic analysis were asked for consent to deposit genetic and phenotypic data in dbGaP. Design As part of the HVH study, case subjects were identified by searching for ICD-9 codes consistent with MI, stroke, VT, or AF, and medical records were reviewed to confirm the diagnosis. Control subjects were identified at random from the Group Health enrollment and were matched to MI cases. All subjects have an index date. For cases, the index date was assigned as the date that the cardiovascular event (MI, stroke, VT, or AF) came to clinical attention. For controls, the index date was a random date within the range of the case index dates. For both cases and controls, information was collected from the inpatient and outpatient medical record, by telephone interview with consenting survivors, and from the Group Health pharmacy and laboratory databases. Consenting participants provided a blood specimen. Subjects Only VT and early-onset AF cases from HVH are included in TOPMed. Within the HVH study, VT and AF cases were diagnosed in both inpatient and outpatient settings, and only incident cases are eligible for inclusion in TOPMed. Genetic Research Genetic factors underlying cardiovascular disease are studied using DNA isolated from the blood samples. Phenotype data for HVH study participants are available through dbGaP <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/projects/gap/cgi-bin/study.cgi?study_id=phs001013">phs001013</a>.

NHLBI TOPMed: Heart and Vascular Health Study (HVH)