Clinical Epidemiology
Our passion is using big data to create value for patients and populations.
Our research group is leading a national strategic research program in epidemiology funded by the Swedish government. We utilize many of Sweden’s cohorts in our observational research and have collected many of them ourselves, and we are leading a national initiative to increase the value of all Swedish cohorts. We also lead randomized clinical trials, mainly in cardiometabolic diseases and emergency care, and conduct systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
Our methods and method development are focused on using big data to guide risk estimation, treatment decisions, and evaluation of treatment effects, risks and costs. In addition to traditional data sources such as clinical trials and cohorts with multiple omics data, we use emerging ones such as electronic health records and patient-generated data. We use causal inference methods such as Mendelian randomization, causal diagrams, and propensity score-based methods. We also use machine learning methods and develop new digital tools for clinical research.
Group leader
Johan Sundström
Listen to professor Johan Sundström talk about his vision when it comes to work (in Swedish)
Societal impact
Impact on international guidelines
Ingelsson et al, JAMA 2006;295:2859-2866 cited in 2011 NICE guideline The clinical management of primary hypertension in adults.
Sundstrom et al, BMJ 2011;342:d643.473 cited in 2013 ESH/ESC Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension.
Arefalk et al, Circulation 2014;130:325-332, Sundstrom et al, Lancet 2014;384:591-598, Ganna et al, Arterioscl Thromb Vasc Biol 2013;33:2267-2272, and Holmes et al, JAMA 2015;314:52–60 cited in 2016 European Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice.
Andersen et al, Eur Heart J 2013;34:3624–3631 cited in 2016 ESC Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation developed in collaboration with EACTS
Sundstrom et al, Ann Intern Med 2015;162:184-91 and Sundstrom et al, Lancet 2014;384:591-598 cited in 2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults.
Sundstrom et al, BMJ 2011;342:d643.473, Sundstrom et al, Ann Intern Med 2015;162:184-91, and Sundstrom et al, Lancet 2014;384:591-598 cited in 2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension.
Karmali et al, PLoS Med 2018;15:e1002538 cited in 2021 WHO Guideline for the pharmacological treatment of hypertension in adults.
Citations
Professor Johan Sundström's citations
Notable media attention
One of the group’s articles described in the BMJ as "the most important paper for general practice to come out in the last 10 years".
Selected domestic media attention
"Alcohol limit values may be too high", article in Dagens Medicin, April 13, 2018 (in Swedish)
Selected international media attention
"Stopping aspirin therapy may raise heart attack stroke risk", Reuters, September 29, 2017
"BP lovering has benefits in uncomplicated mild hypertension", Healthy Living, 2014
"Can you get too much exercise?", The New York Times, July 24, 2013
"Heart risk for extreme skiers", Englemed Health News, June 12, 2013
"Too Much, Too Fast: Cross-Coutry Skiing And Heart Arrhythmias", Forbes, June 12, 2013
"Cross-Country Skiers Run Arrhythmia Risk", MEDPAGE TODAY, June 11, 2013
"Arrhythmias more common in intense athletes", Health24, June 14, 2013
"Cross-Country Skiers Run Higher Risk Of Heart Rhythm Problems", MedicalNewsToday, June 12, 2013