Visualization of Asymptomatic Atherosclerotic Disease for Optimum Cardiovascular Prevention (VIPVIZA)

About VIPVIZA

VIPVIZA (“Visualization of Asymptomatic Atherosclerotic Disease for Optimum Cardiovascular Prevention”) was launched in 2013 as a large, population based randomized controlled trial with study participants recruited from Västerbotten Intervention Program (VIP). Over time, it has evolved into a comprehensive longitudinal research platform with an integrated biobank and an extensive carotid ultrasound imaging infrastructure. This unique combination of serial vascular imaging, detailed phenotyping, and long term follow up provides an exceptional opportunity to study the natural history of subclinical atherosclerosis. It enables detailed characterization of early vascular changes, identification of trajectories of atherosclerotic progression and the influence of lifestyle and psychosocial factors, as well as evaluation of their prognostic significance for future cardiovascular events.

Strategic relevance 

VIPVIZA constitutes an infrastructure that brings together researchers from many different disciplines and enables the formulation of research questions that would not emerge within individual fields. The infrastructure’s high quality imaging data, long follow up, and integrated biobank make it internationally attractive and strengthen opportunities for larger research collaborations and competitive grant applications. It also functions as a training environment for the next generation of researchers by offering projects in clinical and methodological research as well as training in advanced analytical methods. VIPVIZA further enhances the faculty’s profile within translational research by integrating molecular data, imaging diagnostics, and behavioral interventions into a coherent research workflow.

The research infrastructure adds value to existing infrastructures such as NSHDS and PREDICT by providing systematic imaging of early atherosclerosis, which enables studies of biomarkers linked to objectively measured vascular changes. This also creates new opportunities for AI based multimodal prediction models that combine lifestyle factors, psychosocial variables, biomarkers, and vascular imaging. Moreover, VIPVIZA’s randomized component provides unique possibilities for causal analyses that complement other population cohorts.

What to do if you want to study on VIPVIZA data

Swedish and international researchers who wish to use data from VIPVIZA for research purposes should contact the project’s PI, Patrik Wennberg, for an initial dialogue.

VIPVIZA has a separate database that only the project’s data manager has access to. The project’s active researchers have access to a digital data portal containing information about variables and metadata, as well as a system for data applications and the steering committee’s management of these applications.

Access to the portal is granted by the PI or members of the steering committee. The steering committee also assesses applications for data extraction based on scientific relevance and ethical considerations. Data are only released following a decision by the steering committee and in pseudonymised form (personal identity numbers are replaced with a code, and only the data manager has access to the code key). To ensure appropriate and correct use of the data, data are released on the condition that a representative from the steering committee participates in the research work, which also contributes project knowledge and continuity.

To finance the operation of VIPVIZA’s database, a user fee is charged in connection with data extraction.