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Home » Research at NEI » Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications

Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications

Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications
Building 10, 10 CRC, Room 3-253
10 Center Drive, MSC 1204
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1204
Phone: (301) 496-6583
Fax: (301) 496-7295

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The Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications (DECA) has three main functions: research, education, and consultation.

Research is the dominant function. It is the Division's mission to plan, develop, and conduct human population studies concerned with the cause, prevention, and treatment of eye disease and vision disorders, with emphasis on the major causes of blindness. This includes studies of incidence and prevalence in defined populations, prospective and retrospective studies of risk factors, natural history studies, clinical trials, genetic studies, and studies to evaluate diagnostic procedures.

The DECA carries out a program of education in biometric and epidemiologic principles and methods for the vision research community. This program consists of courses, workshops, a fellowship program for ophthalmologists, publications, and consultation and collaboration on research.

The Division provides biometric and epidemiologic assistance to National Eye Institute (NEI) intramural and extramural staff and to vision research workers elsewhere. The assistance ranges from consultation to collaboration as co-investigators.

Staff

DECA - Clinical Trials Branch

Name Title E-mail
Frederick L. Ferris III, M.D. Director, DECA
NEI Clinical Director		 flf@nei.nih.gov
Emily Y. Chew, M.D Deputy Director, DECA
Chief, DECR Clinical Trials Branch		 echew@nei.nih.gov
John Paul SanGiovanni, Sc.D Staff Scientist jpsangio@nei.nih.gov
Wanda Coleman Program Coordinator wcoleman@nei.nih.gov

DECA-Biostatistics Branch

Name Title E-mail
VACANT Chief, DECA, Biostatistics Branch  
Elvira Agron, M.S. Mathematical Statistician exa@nei.nih.gov
Susan Vitale, Ph.D. Research Epidemiologist sev@nei.nih.gov
Jeneene Nibblett-Derival Administrative Assistant nibblettderivalj@nei.nih.gov

DECA - Epidemiology Branch

Name Title E-mail
Mary Frances Cotch, Ph.D Chief, DECA Epidemiology Branch mfc@nei.nih.gov

Recent Publications

Diabetic Retinopathy

  1. Chew EY, Ferris FL 3rd, Csaky KG, Murphy RP, Agron E, Thompson DJ, Reed GF, Schachtat AP. The long-term effects of laser photocoagulation treatment in patients with diabetic retinopathy: the early treatment diabetic retinopathy follow-up study. Ophthalmology 2003 Sept; 110(9):1683-9.
  2. Cusick M, Chew EY, Chan CC, Kruth HS, Murphy RP, Ferris FL 3rd. Histopathology and regression of retinal hard exudates in diabetic retinopathy after reduction of elevated serum lipid levels. Ophthalmology. 2003 Nov;110(11):2126-33.
  3. Cusick M, Chew EY, Hoogwerf B, Agrón E, LieLing WU, Lindley A, Ferris III FL, and The Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study Research Group. Risk factors for renal replacement therapy in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS), Early Treatment Diabetic Study Report No. 26. Kidney International. 2004; 66:1173-1179.
  4. The Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group. The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among adults in the United States. Arch Ophthalmol. 2004; 122:552-563.
  5. Cusick M, SanGiovanni JP, Chew E, Csaky, K, Hall-Shimmel K, Reed G, Caruso R, Ferris FL. Central Visual Function and the NEI-VFQ-25 Near and Distance Activities Subscale Scores in People with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 2005 139: 1042-1050.
  6. Cusick M, Meleth AD, Agrón E, Fisher MR, Reed GF, Ferris III FL, Chew, EY and the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study Research Group. Associations of mortality and diabetes complications in patients with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study Report No. 27. Diabetes Care 2005; 28:617-625.
  7. 7. Wong TY, Klein R, Islam FMA, Cotch MF, Folsom AR, Klein BEK, Sharrett AR, Shea S: Diabetic Retinopathy in a Multi-Ethnic Cohort in the United States. Am J Ophthalmol 2006;141(3):446-455.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

  1. Clemons TE, Chew EY, Bressler SB, McBee W for the AREDS Research Group. The National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). AREDS Report No. 10. Archives of Ophthalmology 2003;121:211-217.
  2. Bressler NM, Bressler SB, Congdon NG, Ferris FL 3rd, Friedman DS, Klein R, Lindblad AS, Milton RC, Seddon JM; Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group. Potential public health impact of Age-Related Eye Disease Study results: AREDS Report No. 11. Arch Ophthalmol. 2003 Nov;121(11):1621-4.
  3. McBee WL, Lindblad AS, Ferris FL 3rd. Who should receive oral supplement treatment for age-related macular degeneration? Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2003 June; 14(3):159-62.
  4. AREDS Research Group. Associations of mortality with ocular disorders and an intervention of high-dose antioxidants and zinc in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study. AREDS Report No. 13. Arch Ophthalmol; 2004:716-726.
  5. Tuo J, Smith BC, Bojanowski CM, Meleth AD, Gery I, Csaky KG, Chew EY, Chan CC. The involvement of sequence variation and expression of CX3CR1 in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration. 2004. FASEB J; Published online June 18, 2004 doi:10.1096/04-1862fje.
  6. The Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group. Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the United States. Arch Ophthalmol. 2004; 122:564-572.
  7. Clemons TE, Milton RC, Klein R, Seddon JM, Ferris FL 3rd and the Age Related Eye Disease Study Group. Risk factors for the incidence of Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), AREDS report no. 19. Ophthalmology 2005; 112:533-539.
  8. Klein RJ, Zeiss C, Chew EY, Tsai J-Y, Sackler RS, Haynes C, Henning AK, SanGiovanni JP, Mane SM, Manye ST, Bracken MB, Ferris FL, Ott J, Barnstable C, Hoh J. Complement factor H polymorphism in age-related macular degeneration. Science, Vol 308, Issue 5720, 385-389, 15 April 2005.
  9. Ferris FL, Davis MD, Clemons TE, Lee LY, Chew EY, Lindblad AS, Milton RC, Bressler SB, Klein R; Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) Research Group. A simplified severity scale for age-related macular degeneration: AREDS Report No. 18. Arch Ophthalmol. 2005 Nov;123(11):1570-4.
  10. Klein R, Klein BEK, Knudtson MD, Wong TY, Cotch MF, Liu K, Burke G, Saad MF, Jacobs DR: The Prevalence of Age-related Macular Degeneration in Four Racial/Ethnic Groups in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Ophthalmol 2006;113(3):373-380.
  11. Klein R, Klein BEK, Knudtson MD, Cotch MF, Wong TY, Liu K, Burke G, Saad MF, Jacobs DR, Sharrett AR: Subclinical Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Multi-Racial Cohort: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Arch Ophthamol 2007;125(4):534-43.

Refractive Errors

  1. Vitale S, Cotch MF, Sperduto R: Prevalence of Visual Impairment in the United States. JAMA 2006;295(18):2158-63.
  2. Vitale S, Cotch MF, Ellwein L, Sperduto R: Costs of Refractive Correction of Distance Visual Impairment in the United States, 1999-2002. Ophthalmol 2006;113(12):2163-70. Epub 2006 Sep 25.
  3. Peet JA, Cotch MF, Wojciechowski R, Bailey-Wilson JE, Stambolian D: Heritability and Familial Aggregation of Refractive Error in the Old Order Amish. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007 Sep;48(9):4002-6.

Statistical Methods

  1. Beck RW, Moke PS, Turpin AH, Ferris FL, SanGiovanni JP, Johnson CA, Birch EE, Chandler DL, Cox TA, Blair RC, Kraker RY. A computerized method of visual acuity testing: Adaptation of the early treatment of diabetic retinopathy study testing protocol. Am J Ophthalmol 2003; 135:194-205.
  2. Cusick M, Charles M, Agron E, SanGiovanni JP, Ferris FL, Charles S. Anatomical and Visual Results of Vitreoretinal Surgery for Stage 5 Retinopathy of Prematurity. Retina. 2006 Sept; 26(7): 729-735.

Other

  1. Cusick M, Chew EY, Ferris F III, Cox TA, Chan CC, Kador PF. Effects of aldose reductase inhibitors and galactose withdrawal on fluorescein angiographic lesions in galactose-fed dogs. Arch Ophthalmol 2003;121:1745-1751.
  2. The Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group. Causes and prevalence of visual impairment among adults in the United States. Arch Ophthalmol 2004; 122:477-485.
  3. The Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group. Prevalence of cataract and pseudophakia/aphakia among adults in the United States. Arch Ophthalmol 2004; 122:487-494.
  4. The Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group. The prevalence of refractive errors among adults in the United States, Western Europe, and Australia. Arch Ophthalmol. 2004; 122:495-505.
  5. The Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group. Prevalence of open-angle glaucoma among adults in the United States. Arch Ophthalmol. 2004; 122:532-538.
  6. Ferris FL III, A new treatment for ocular neovascularization. N Engl J Med. 2004 Dec 30;351(27):2863-5.
  7. SanGiovanni JP. Chew EY. The role of omega-3 long-chain polylunsaturated fatty acids in health and disease of the retina. Progress in Retinal and Eye Research 2005 ;24 :87-138.
  8. Chew EY. Ocular manifestations of von Hippel-Lindau's Disease: Clinical and genetic investigations. (American Ophthalmological Society Thesis: Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc. 2005;103:495-511.
  9. Nussenblatt RB, Kim J, Thompson DJ, Davis MD, Chew E, Ferris FL, Buggage R. Vitamin E in the treatment of uveitis-associated macular edema. Am J Ophthalmol. 2006 Jan;141(1):193-4.
  10. Cotch MF, Janiszewski R, Klein RJ, Turczyn KM, Brett KM, Ryskulova A for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Visual Impairment and Use of Eye-Care Services and Protective Eyewear Among Children – United States, 2002. [Reprinted from MMWR 54:425-429, 2005] JAMA 2005:293(23): 2851-2852.
  11. Wong TY, Islam A, Klein R, Klein BE, Cotch MF, Castro C, Sharrett AR, Shahar E: Retinal Vascular Caliber, Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Inflammation: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2006;47(6):2341-50.
  12. Harris TA, Launer LJ, Eirksdottir G, Kjartansson O, Jonsson PV, Sigurdsson G, Thorgeirsson G, Aspelund T, Cotch MF, Hoffman H, Gudnason V for the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility – Reykjavik Study Investigators: Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility – Reykjavik Study: Applied Phenomics. Am J Epidemiol 2007;165(9):1076-87. Epub 2007 Mar 10.
  13. Wong TY, Klein R, Islam FMA, Cotch MF, Couper DJ, Klein BEK, Hubbard LD, Sharrett AR: Three-Year Incidence and Cumulative Prevalence of Retinopathy: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Am J Ophthalmol 2007;143(6):970-6. Epub 2007 Mar 30.
  14. Cheung N, Bluemke DA, Klein R, Sharrett AR, Islam FMA, Cotch MF, Klein BEK, Criqui MH, Wong TY: Relation of Retinal Arteriolar Caliber to Left Ventricular Mass and Remodeling: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. J Am Coll Cardiol 2007 50(1):48-55. Epub 2007 Jun 18.
  15. Cheung N, Sharrett AR, Klein R, Criqui MH, Islam FMA, Macura KJ, Cotch MF, Klein BEK, Wong TY. Aortic Distensibility and Retinal Arteriolar Narrowing: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Hypertension 2007 Oct;50(4):617-22. Epub 2007 Aug 13.
  16. Wong TY, Cheung N, Islam FMA,Klein R, Criqui MH, Cotch MF, Carr JJ, Klein BE Sharrett AR: Relation of Retinopathy to Coronary Artery Calcification: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Am J Epidemiol Epub 2007 Sept 24.

This page was last modified in August 2008