Goal is 150-200 more minority subjects
SAN ANTONIO (May 25, 2012) — The San Antonio hub of an international study assessing aspirin’s effects in the elderly is leading all U.S. centers in number of ethnic minority recruitments. Even so, study personnel would like to enroll 150 to 200 more minority participants, faculty at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio said.
UT Medicine San Antonio, along with providers in the South Texas Ambulatory Research Network (STARNet), boosted the local hub of the study — which is called ASPREE — to second nationally in total recruitments. But the goal is even more recruits, said principal investigator Sara Espinoza, M.D., assistant professor of geriatrics, gerontology and palliative medicine at the Health Science Center. UT Medicine is the clinical practice of the university’s School of Medicine.
ASPREE, short for Aspirin to Reduce Events in the Elderly, is a clinical research study to assess whether taking a baby aspirin a day can extend the time a senior citizen over 65 is productive and free of disabilities.
“UT Medicine’s success is thanks to the STARNet clinicians’ efforts and an integrated database that identifies potential candidates at clinic visits and excludes individuals who do not meet inclusion criteria,” said Dr. Espinoza, an investigator with the Center for Healthy Aging, which is part of the Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies at the Health Science Center.
“The two practices that have stood out among our members in bringing us participants are the South Alamo Medical Group with main partners/providers Drs. Miguel Ayala, Roberto Trevino and Robert Ross, and Bandera Family Health Care with head provider Dr. Ramon Reyes,” said Marisa Rodriguez, research area specialist associate with the ASPREE study.
The Berman Center, which coordinates the ASPREE program for the U.S. sites, compiles weekly statistics. As of May 3, the San Antonio site randomized 175 participants into the study. Of these subjects, 77 percent belong to ethnic minority groups.
To inquire about eligibility for the ASPREE study, call 1-877-524-3265.
ASPREE is being conducted in clinics and universities in Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Texas. More information can be found at www.ASPREE.org.
This work was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, 1 U01AG029824, to Dr. Espinoza, principal investigator.
For more information about STARNet, visit www.starnetpbrn.com.
UT Medicine San Antonio is the clinical practice of the School of Medicine at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. With more than 700 doctors – all faculty from the School of Medicine – UT Medicine is the largest medical practice in Central and South Texas, with expertise in more than 60 different branches of medicine. Primary care doctors and specialists see patients in private practice at UT Medicine’s flagship clinical home, the Medical Arts & Research Center (MARC), located in the South Texas Medical Center at 8300 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio 78229. Most major health plans are accepted, and there are clinics and physicians at several local and regional hospitals, including CHRISTUS Santa Rosa, University Hospital and Baptist Medical Center. Call (210) 450-9000 to schedule an appointment, or visit the website at www.UTMedicine.org for a complete listing of clinics and phone numbers.