Use of NHLBI Data Repository Dataset and Stored Specimens

The CARDIA Study has provided NHLBI Data Repository Datasets for exams conducted during Years 0-30, as well as for follow-up contacts for which data collection has been completed for at least five years, and for adjudicated morbid and mortal events. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute distributes these data; additional information, including the procedures on how to request these data, can be found on the NHLBI web site here.

Of note, some original CARDIA variables were either omitted or truncated to form the NHLBI data repository datasets to protect the confidentiality of participants. The CARDIA Coordinating Center is able to provide limited support for the use of these NHLBI data repositorydatasets. This support includes the ability to answer questions regarding the CARDIA data at the level of a staff person, but not of an investigator. Examples of such support include:

  1. elucidation of data nomenclature
  2. identification of whether certain variables are available through the NHLBI data repository data set, the CARDIA core data set, or both
  3. searches of the CARDIA publications database to identify manuscripts in progress by CARDIA investigators, on a specific topic
  4. help with seeking CARDIA investigators who may be interested in potential scientific collaborations on a specific topic

The Coordinating Center will acknowledge your request and provide an initial response within two weeks. CARDIA Coordinating Center support may be sought by sending an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please state the support that you are requesting and the best way to contact you.

A limited amount of stored specimens are also available for ancillary studies that involve a CARDIA investigator. These specimens include blood serum and plasma from the CARDIA Y2, Y5, Y7, Y10, Y15, Y20, Y25, and Y30 Exams, DNA from the Y5, Y10, Y15, Y20, Y25, and Y30 Exams, and urines from the Y5, Y10, Y20, Y25, and Y30 Exams.  Where participant consent has been obtained for non-CARDIA investigators to use specimens and sufficient specimens exist, high quality proposals requesting their use will be considered. CARDIA polices regarding ancillary studies and instructions for the preparation of ancillary study proposals can be found on the CARDIA website at http://www.cardia.dopm.uab.edu/ancillary-studies-2. Please use the above e-mail address to contact the CARDIA Coordinating Center if you have any additional questions.

 

Note regarding Year 30 Exam blood samples: CARDIA Year 30 Exam blood samples were contaminated with isopropanol from an unknown source. The available evidence suggests that the contamination was not great enough to influence the CARDIA core analytes (see the summary document for a description of the experiments conducted). However, the possible effects of the isopropanol contamination on analytes other than the CARDIA core analytes is not known. Therefore, it is recommended that any investigator requesting Y30 blood samples conduct experiments, similar to those conducted for the CARDIA core analytes, for their specific analyte(s) of interest before running the analysis on all samples to determine the possible influence of the contamination on those analytes. The summary document for this incident follows: Documentation of Isopropanol Contamination of CARDIA Year 30 Exam Blood Storage Samples