Research Group for the prevention of cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents

Cardiovascular Area

The iPEDITEC Unit brings healthcare workers into daily contact with engineers developing software for signal capture through mobile devices. Studying the psychological parameters that facilitate personalized therapy has been a priority aim during 2021, resulting in improved treatment of obese pediatric patients in the Unit

– The PAIDO Program is focused on personalized medical care extended through initiatives involving family, educators, nutritionists, physical education teachers and other social agents. Treatment goes beyond the hospital setting to include the child´s environment and personal sphere and is supported by state-of the art artificial intelligence technologies

– To improve the knowledge of fetal life and postnatal growth on the development of cardiometabolic risk factors early in life. The KITE cohort is a prospective study starting at birth and assessing the determinants of cardiometabolic risk factors in the first decades of life. Omics data from umbilical cord are available and the analysis of the interaction between clinical data and omics may help to introduce actions in critical periods of life and the potential contribution to reduce cardiometabolic disease later in life. Dr. Lurbe is the coordinator of the new document of the European Guidelines on Arterial Hypertension in Children and Adolescents

Coordinatora
Dra. Empar Lurbe i Ferrer
empar.lurbe@uv.es; malurfe@uv.es

RESEARCHERS
Leading, R4

Empar Lurbe i Ferrer    

Established, R3

Francisco Aguilar Bacallado
Isabel Torró Doménech

Recognised/Emerging, R2

Christine Deutsch
Julio Álvarez Pitti

First Stage, R1

Ana de Blas Zapata

STAFF
Collaborating Researchers

Juan José Alcón Sáez
Nuria García Carbonell
Rafael Gómez Zafra

Nurse
Technicians

Francisco Ponce Zanón
Laura González Ramos

Administrative assistant
Publications
2023 ESH Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension The Task Force for the management of arterial hypertension of the European Society of Hypertension Endorsed by the European Renal Association (ERA) and the International Society of Hypertension (ISH). Mancia Chairperson G, Kreutz Co-Chair R, Brunstrom M, Burnier M, Grassi G, Januszewicz A, Muiesan M, Tsioufis K, Agabiti-Rosei E, Algharably E, Azizi M, Benetos A, Borghi C, Hitij J, Cifkova R, Coca A, Cornelissen V, Cruickshank K, Cunha P, Danser A, de Pinho R, Delles C, Dominiczak A, Dorobantu M, Doumas M, Fernandez-Alfonso M, Halimi J, Jarai Z, Jelakovic B, Jordan J, Kuznetsova T, Laurent S, Lovic D, Lurbe E, Mahfoud F, Manolis A, Miglinas M, Narkiewicz K, Niiranen T, Palatini P, Parati G, Pathak A, Persu A, Polonia J, Redon J, Sarafidis P, Schmieder R, Spronck B, Stabouli S, Stergiou G, Taddei S, Thomopoulos C, Tomaszewski M, Van de Borne P, Wanner C, Weber T, Williams B, Zhang Z, Kjeldsen S. Journal of Hypertension. 2023 Dec 1;41(12):1874-2071. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000003480. PMID: 37345492

Anthropometric measures of adiposity as markers of kidney dysfunction: a cross-sectional study. Vela-Bernal S, Facchetti R, Dell’Oro R, Quarti-Trevano F, Lurbe E, Mancia G, Grassi G. High Blood Pressure & Cardiovascular Prevention. 2023 Sep 27. doi: 10.1007/s40292-023-00600-6. PMID: 37755663

Development of a genetic risk score to predict the risk of hypertension in European adolescents from the HELENA study. Perez-Gimeno G, Seral-Cortes M, Sabroso-Lasa S, Esteban L, Lurbe E, Beghin L, Gottrand F, Meirhaeghe A, Muntaner M, Kafatos A, Molnar D, Leclercq C, Widhalm K, Kersting M, Nova E, Salazar-Tortosa D, Gonzalez-Gross M, Breidenassel C, Sinningen K, De Ruyter T, Labayen I, Ruperez A, Bueno-Lozano G, Moreno L. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2023 Jun 1;10:1118919. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1118919. PMID: 37324619

Editorial: Blood pressure in children and adolescents: moving forward. Lurbe E, Fernandez-Aranda F, Wuhl E. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2023 Jan 30;10:1142176. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1142176. PMID: 36793474

HyperChildNET: a European Network Moving Forward in the Field of Pediatric Hypertension. Lurbe E, Mancia G, Drozdz D, Erdine S, Fernandez-Aranda F, Litwin M, Sinha MD, Simonetti G, Stabouli S, Wuhl E. Hypertension. 2023 Apr;80(4):e71-e73. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.123.20080. PMID: 36748460

Impact of maternal weight gain on the newborn metabolome. Guixeres-Esteve T, Ponce-Zanon F, Morales J, Lurbe E, Alvarez-Pitti J, Monleon D. Metabolites. 2023 Apr 15;13(4):561. doi: 10.3390/metabo13040561. PMID: 37110219

Joint statement for assessing and managing high blood pressure in children and adolescents: Chapter 2. How to manage high blood pressure in children and adolescents. Wuhl E, Calpe J, Drozdz D, Erdine S, Fernandez-Aranda F, Hadjipanayis A, Hoyer P, Jankauskiene A, Jimenez-Murcia S, Litwin M, Mancia G, Mazur A, Pall D, Seeman T, Sinha M, Simonetti G, Stabouli S, Lurbe E. Frontiers in Pediatrics. 2023 Apr 12;11:1140617. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1140617. PMID: 37124176

Maternal obesity and gestational diabetes reprogram the methylome of offspring beyond birth by inducing epigenetic signatures in metabolic and developmental pathways. Alba Linares J, Perez R, Tejedor J, Bastante Rodriguez D, Ponce F, Carbonell N, Zafra R, Fernandez A, Fraga M, Lurbe E. Cardiovascular Diabetology. 2023 Mar 4;22(1):44. doi: 10.1186/s12933-023-01774-y. PMID: 36870961

Persistence and determinants of blood pressure phenotypes according to office and ambulatory blood pressure measurements in youth. Martinez F, Redon J, Aguilar F, Calderon JM, Lurbe E. Hypertension Research. 2023 May;46(5):1257-1266. doi: 10.1038/s41440-022-01159-w. PMID: 36635525

Psychosocial and environmental risk factors of obesity and hypertension in children and adolescents-a literature overview. Wójcik M, Alvarez-Pitti J, Koziol-Kozakowska A, Brzezinski M, Gabbianelli R, Herceg-Cavrak V, Wühl E, Lucas I, Radovanovic D, Melk A, Lopez-Valcarcel B, Fernández-Aranda F, Mazur A, Lurbe E, Borghi C, Drozdz D. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2023 Nov 20:10:1268364. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1268364. PMID: 38054100

Study protocol: Identification and validation of integrative biomarkers of physical activity level and health in children and adolescents (INTEGRActiv). Picó C, Lurbe E, Keijer J, Kopecky J, Landrier J, Alvarez-Pitti J, Martin J, Oliver P, Palou A, Palou M, Zouhar P, Ribot J, Rodríguez A, Sánchez J, Serra F, Bonet M. Frontiers in Pediatrics. 2023 Sep 12:11:1250731. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1250731. PMID: 37772038

Are peripheral biomarkers determinants of eating styles in childhood and adolescence obesity? a cross-sectional study. Desdentado L, Navarrete J, Folgado-Alufre M, de Blas A, Navarro-Siurana J, Ponce F, Molinari G, Jimeno-Martinez A, Ruperez A, Bueno-Lozano G, Cuenca-Royo A, Corbella E, Aguera Z, Banos R, Alvarez-Pitti J. Nutrients. 2022 Jan 12;14(2):305. doi: 10.3390/nu14020305. PMID: 35057485

Blood pressure measurement in children and adolescents: key element in the evaluation of arterial hypertension. Alvarez J, Aguilar F, Lurbe E. Anales de Pediatria. 2022 Jun;96(6):536.e1-536.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.anpede.2022.04.011. PMID: 35659490

Blood pressure response to exercise in children and adolescents. Alvarez-Pitti J, Herceg-Cavrak V, Wojcik M, Radovanovic D, Brzezinski M, Grabitz C, Wuhl E, Drozdz D, Melk A. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2022 Sep 30;9:1004508. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.1004508. PMID: 36247478

Comparison of validation protocols for blood pressure measuring devices in children and adolescents. Stabouli S, Chainoglou A, Evripidou K, Simao C, Antza C, Petrou P, Hamdani G, Calpe J, Lurbe E. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2022 Nov 23;9:1001878. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.1001878. PMID: 36505363

Hypertension in children and adolescents a consensus document from ESC Council on Hypertension, European Association of Preventive Cardiology, European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging, Association of Cardiovascular Nursing & Allied Professions, ESC Council for Cardiology Practice and Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology. de Simone G, Mancusi C, Hanssen H, Genovesi S, Lurbe E, Parati G, Sendzikaite S, Valerio G, Di Bonito P, Di Salvo G, Ferrini M, Leeson P, Moons P, Weismann C, Williams B. European Heart Journal. 2022 Sep 14;43(35):3290-3301. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac328. PMID: 35896123

Insights from matched office and ambulatory blood pressure in youth: clinical relevance. Lurbe E, Redon J, Alvarez J, Grau-Perez M, Martinez F, Mancia G. Hypertension. 2022 Mar 29;101161HYPERTENSIONAHA12218993. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.18993. PMID: 35345885

Knowledge gaps and future directions in cognitive functions in children and adolescents with primary arterial hypertension: a systematic review. Lucas I, Puteikis K, Sinha M, Litwin M, Merkevicius K, Azukaitis K, Rus R, Pac M, Obrycki L, Bardsen T, Sladowska-Kozlowska J, Sagsak E, Lurbe E, Jimenez-Murcia S, Jankauskiene A, Fernandez-Aranda F. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2022 Oct 20;9:973793. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.973793. PMID: 36337900

Prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy in children and young people with primary hypertension: meta-analysis and meta-regression. Sinha M, Azukaitis K, Sladowska-Kozlowska J, Bardsen T, Merkevicius K, Sletten I, Obrycki L, Pac M, Fernandez-Aranda F, Bjelakovic B, Jankauskiene A, Litwin M, HyperChildNet Working Grp. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2022 Oct 31;9:993513. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.993513. PMID: 36386367

Uric acid and hypertension: a review of evidence and future perspectives for the management of cardiovascular risk. Borghi C, Agnoletti D, Cicero A, Lurbe E, Virdis A. Hypertension. 2022 Sep;79(9):1927-1936. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.122.17956. PMID: 35658505

2021 European Society of Hypertension practice guidelines for office and out-of-office blood pressure measurement. Stergiou GS, Palatini P, Parati G, O’Brien E, Januszewicz A, Lurbe E, Persu A, Mancia G, Kreutz R. Journal of Hypertension. 2021 Jul 1;39(7):1293-1302. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002843. PMID: 33710173

Developmental and early life origins of cardiometabolic risk factors: novel findings and implications. Lurbe E, Ingelfinger J. Hypertension. 2021 Feb;77(2):308-318. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.14592. PMID: 33390043

Early symptomatic congenital syphilis in a newborn. Ordono Saiz M, Chacon Flocos S, Rodriguez-Ramos M, Gomez Zafra R. Anales de Pediatría. 2021 May;94(5):341-342. doi: 10.1016/j.anpedi.2020.05.012. PMID: 32620318

European Network for blood pressure research in children and adolescents (COST Action CA 19115). Lurbe E, Fernandez-Aranda F, Wuhl E, en representacion del Consorcio HyperChildNET. Anales de Pediatria. 2021 Jun;94(6):421.e1-421.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.anpedi.2021.01.015. PMID: 33653658

European Network for blood pressure research in children and adolescents (COST Action CA 19115). Lurbe E, Fernandez-Aranda F, Wuhl E, HyperChildNET Consortium. Anales de Pediatria. 2021 Jun;94(6):421.e1-421.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.anpede.2021.01.003. PMID: 34090641

Lifestyle, psychological, socioeconomic and environmental factors and their impact on hypertension during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Kreutz R, Dobrowolski P, Prejbisz A, Algharably EAEH, Bilo G, Creutzig F, Grassi G, Kotsis V, Lovic D, Lurbe E, Modesti PA, Pappaccogli M, Parati G, Persu A, Polonia J, Rajzer M, de Timary P, Weber T, Weisser B, Tsioufis K, Mancia G, Januszewicz A. Journal of Hypertension. 2021 Jun 1;39(6):1077-1089. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002770. PMID: 33395152

Obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors: from childhood to adulthood. Drozdz D, Alvarez-Pitti J, Wojcik M, Borghi C, Gabbianelli R, Mazur A, Herceg-Cavrak V, Gonzalez Lopez-Valcarcel B, Brzezinski M, Lurbe E, Wuehl E. Nutrients. 2021 Nov 22;13(11):4176. doi: 10.3390/nu13114176. PMID: 34836431

Obesity and eating disorders in children and adolescents: the bidirectional link. Stabouli S, Erdine S, Suurorg L, Jankauskiene A, Lurbe E. Nutrients. 2021 Nov 29;13(12):4321. doi: 10.3390/nu13124321. PMID: 34959873

Primary hypertension beginning in childhood and risk for future cardiovascular disease. Falkner B, Lurbe E. Journal of Pediatrics. 2021 Nov;238:16-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.08.008. PMID: 34391765

Scientific mapping of the research output on hypertension in children and adolescents, 2010-2018. Abad-Garcia MF, Gonzalez-Teruel A, Bolanos-Pizarro M, Lurbe I Ferrer E. Journal of Hypertension. 2021 Jun 1;39(6):1070-1076. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002772. PMID: 33929402

The USPSTF call to inaction on blood pressure screening in children and adolescents. Falkner B, Lurbe E. Pediatric Nephrology. 2021 Jun;36(6):1327-1329. doi: 10.1007/s00467-021-04926-y. PMID: 33449211

Projects
Reference: PI20/00269
Title: Impacto del peso al nacer y el patrón de crecimiento en factores de riesgo cardiometabólico en adolescentes postpuberales: aproximación clínica y molecular
Funding body: Instituto de Salud Carlos III – Cofinanciado FEDER
Principal Investigator: Empar Lurbe i Ferrer
Duration: 2021 – 2025
Total budget: 174.845 €
Reference: UNICEF-LAB-COVID
Title: Esc@la Salut del Programa de Atención Integral de la Obesidad Infantil (PAIDO)
Funding body: UNICEF
Principal Investigator: Julio Álvarez Pitti
Duration: 2020 – 2020
Total budget: no hay
Reference: COST Action CA19115
Title: Network for blood pressure research in children and adolescents. HyperChildNET
Funding body: European Commision
Principal Investigator: Empar Lurbe i Ferrer
Duration: 2020 – 2024
Total budget: 700.000 €
Reference: EAT4HEALTHYLIFE
Title: Obesity and abnormal eating behavior across the lifespan. A cross sectional and longitudinal approach of environmental and neurobiological factors
Funding body: Instituto de Salud Carlos III – CIBERObn – Cofinanciado FEDER
Principal Investigator: Fernando Fernández Aranda
Duration: 2018 – 2020
Total budget: 69.220 €
Reference: PI17/01517
Title: Programación fetal y desarrollo postnatal en hijos de madres obesas: modulación por la alimentación en el primer año de vida
Funding body: Instituto de Salud Carlos III – Cofinanciado FEDER
Principal Investigator: Empar Lurbe i Ferrer
Duration: 2018 – 2021
Total budget: 170.005 €
Reference: CB06/03/0039
Title: CIBER de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn)
Funding body: Instituto de Salud Carlos III – Cofinanciado FEDER
Principal Investigator: Empar Lurbe i Ferrer
Duration: 2006 –
Total budget: 85.000 €
+ Info
2023 ESH Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension The Task Force for the management of arterial hypertension of the European Society of Hypertension Endorsed by the European Renal Association (ERA) and the International Society of Hypertension (ISH). Mancia Chairperson G, Kreutz Co-Chair R, Brunstrom M, Burnier M, Grassi G, Januszewicz A, Muiesan M, Tsioufis K, Agabiti-Rosei E, Algharably E, Azizi M, Benetos A, Borghi C, Hitij J, Cifkova R, Coca A, Cornelissen V, Cruickshank K, Cunha P, Danser A, de Pinho R, Delles C, Dominiczak A, Dorobantu M, Doumas M, Fernandez-Alfonso M, Halimi J, Jarai Z, Jelakovic B, Jordan J, Kuznetsova T, Laurent S, Lovic D, Lurbe E, Mahfoud F, Manolis A, Miglinas M, Narkiewicz K, Niiranen T, Palatini P, Parati G, Pathak A, Persu A, Polonia J, Redon J, Sarafidis P, Schmieder R, Spronck B, Stabouli S, Stergiou G, Taddei S, Thomopoulos C, Tomaszewski M, Van de Borne P, Wanner C, Weber T, Williams B, Zhang Z, Kjeldsen S. Journal of Hypertension. 2023 Dec 1;41(12):1874-2071. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000003480. PMID: 37345492

Lifestyle, psychological, socioeconomic and environmental factors and their impact on hypertension during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Kreutz R, Dobrowolski P, Prejbisz A, Algharably EAEH, Bilo G, Creutzig F, Grassi G, Kotsis V, Lovic D, Lurbe E, Modesti PA, Pappaccogli M, Parati G, Persu A, Polonia J, Rajzer M, de Timary P, Weber T, Weisser B, Tsioufis K, Mancia G, Januszewicz A. Journal of Hypertension. 2021 Jun 1;39(6):1077-1089. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002770. PMID: 33395152

2021 European Society of Hypertension practice guidelines for office and out-of-office blood pressure measurement. Stergiou GS, Palatini P, Parati G, O’Brien E, Januszewicz A, Lurbe E, Persu A, Mancia G, Kreutz R. Journal of Hypertension. 2021 Jul 1;39(7):1293-1302. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002843. PMID: 33710173

Redefining hypertension in children and adolescents: A review of the evidence considered by the European Society of Hypertension and American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines.Stabouli S, Redón Mas J, Lurbe Ferrer E. Journal of Hypertension. 2020 Feb;38(2):196-200. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002247. PMID: 31584513

2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines for the management of arterial. Williams B, Mancia G, Spiering W, Rosei EA, Azizi M, Burnier M, Clement DL, Coca A, de Simone G, Dominiczak A, Kahan T, Mahfoud F, Redon J, Ruilope L, Zanchetti A, Kerins M, Kjeldsen SE, Kreutz R, Laurent S, Lip GYH, McManus R, Narkiewicz K, Ruschitzka F, Schmieder RE, Shlyakhto E, Tsioufis C, Aboyans V, Desormais I. Kardiologia Polska. 2019;77(2):71-159. doi: 10.5603/KP.2019.0018. PMID: 30816983

Impact of ESH and AAP hypertension guidelines for children and adolescents on office and ambulatory blood pressure-based classifications. Lurbe E, Torró I, Álvarez J, Aguilar F, Mancia G, Redon J, Redon P. Journal of Hypertension. 2019 Dec;37(12):2414-2421. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000002229. PMID: 31688292