Samar R. El Khoudary, PhD, MPH, BPharm, FAHA

Dr. El Khoudary’s research focuses on cardiovascular disease in midlife women. She has a long-standing interest in understanding how menopause may contribute to women’s risk of cardiovascular disease. Her research has evaluated changes in endogenous sex hormones during the menopausal transition and subclinical measures of vascular disease, as well as ectopic cardiovascular fat as a novel risk marker of CHD in postmenopausal women. Dr. El Khoudary is actively engaged in research assessing whether HDL quality changes over the menopausal transition and how changes in HDL quality may impact CVD risk in women. She is also interested in evaluating reciprocal associations linking physical-function and performance with CVD risk.
 

• 1998 | Al-Azhar University, Gaza, Palestine | BPharm,  Pharmacy
• 2002 | Al-Quds University, Gaza, Palestine | M.P.H., Epidemiology and Biostatitistics
• 2008 | University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA | Ph.D., Epidemiology
• Post-doctoral Training
  • Course in Scientific Management and leadership, office of Academic Career Development, Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
  • Short course: Longitudinal Data Analysis, Paul Allison, University of Pennsylvania
  • Short Course: Survival Data Analysis, Paul Allison, University of Pennsylvania
  • Short Course: Applied Biostatestical and Epidemiological Methods, Longitudinal Data Analysis, The Ohio State University-Columbus, Ohio/USA
  • Short Course: Hierarchical Linear Modeling, DATIC/ University of Connecticut, Storrs,
    Connecticut/USA
  • Short Course: Introduction to Structural Equation Models, Paul Allison, University of Pennsylvania
  • Short Course: Analyzing Developmental Trajectories, Group based modeling. Bobby Jones and Daniel Nagin, Carnegie Mellon University

• 2009-2016: Guest lecturer: EPIDEM 2152 : Students Workshop in Epidemiology
• 2012-2013: Guest lecturer: EPIDEM 2187: Epidemiological Methods 2
• 2014-2017: Co-director: EPIDEM 2187: Epidemiological Methods 2
• 2018, 2019: Guest lecturer: EPIDEM 2183: Reading and Analyzing Literature course
• 2019 -: Co-director: EPIDEM 2180: Epidemiological Methods 1
• 2020-:Director: EPIDEM 2189: Epidemiological Methods of Longitudinal and Time-to-event Analyses

• Cardiovascular disease in midlife women
• Changes in endogenous sex hormones during the menopausal transition and subclinical measures of vascular disease
• Ectopic cardiovascular fat and subclinical measures of cardiovascular disease
• High density lipoprotein quality over the menopausal transition
• Complement components C3 and C4 as new markers of cardiovascular aging and atherosclerosis
• Physical function and performance in women at midlife
• Epi- methods

Ongoing Research Support:

 Principal Investigator 

• R01: Compositional and Functional Alterations of HDL Over Ovarian Aging (2018-2023), NHLBI
• R01: Mobile health intervention for rural atrial fibrillation (2019-2023), NHLBI (Subaccount)

Co-Investigator

• Study of women’s Health Across the Nation U19, SWAN-Aging (2020-2024), NIA

Completed Research Support: 

Principal Investigator 

• R21: Effects of Hormone Therapy on Heart fat and Atherosclerosis Progression in Early
  Postmenopausal Women from the KEEPS Trial (2017-2019), NHLBI
• High-density Lipoprotein Particles in Women Transitioning Through Menopause: The HDL-Menopause Study (2015-2017), Clinical Research Program, American Heart Association National Program
• Puzzle of High-density Lipoprotein in Postmenopausal Women: The Puzzle-Post Study (2014-2016), Central Research Development Fund - Fiscal Year 2015 Small Grants Program
• Ectopic Cardiovascular Fat, Endogenous Sex Hormones, and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Women at Midlife(2012-2014), Clinical Research Program, American Heart Association Great River Affiliate Program
• Perivascular Adipose Tissue, Complement Components, and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Women at Midlife (2011-2012), Department of Epidemiology small grant program

2009-present  The American Heart Association USA
2014-present  The North American Menopause Society

2015-2020  Endocrine Society, USA

2020-present Eurpean Menopause and Andropause Society, Germany

2004-2007 Fulbright PhD Scholarship, United State Department of State
2010           Best of AHA Specialty Conferences Poster Session: EPI 2010
2011           Trudy Bush Fellowship for Cardiovascular Research in  Women’s Health , American Heart Association
2011           First place in clinical and translation research poster session at the 19th Annual Congress  on Women’s Health, Arlington, VA    
2011           Department of Epidemiology Small Grants Program
2012           New Investigator Award, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the North American Menopause society                                                              
2013           Honoree, 37th annual Honors Convocation, The University of Pittsburgh
2014           Honoree, 38th annual Honors Convocation, The University of Pittsburgh

2015           Elected Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA), Epi-Council

2016           Best Paper of the JCEM 2016, ENDO 2016 Meeting

2016           Early Investigator Award 2016, Endocrine Society

2017          Selected Fulbrighter to attend Fulbright
                  Conference on Health Sector – Cairo, Egypt

2019           Poster prize winner, NAMS 

2022           2022 Sutton-Tyrrell Lecture

• El Khoudary SR, Chen X, Nasr A, Billheimer J, Brooks MM, McConnell D, Orchard T, Crawford S, Matthews KA, Rader DJ. HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) Subclasses, Lipid Content, and Function Trajectories Across the Menopause Transition: SWAN-HDL Study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2020 Dec 3:ATVBAHA120315355. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.120.315355. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33267661.
• El Khoudary SR. Age at menopause onset and risk of cardiovascular disease around the world. Maturitas. 2020 Nov;141:33-38. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2020.06.007 special issue on “A global approach to healthy ageing”. Maturitas. 2020 Nov;141:33-38.
• El Khoudary SR, Aggarwal B, Beckie TM, Hodis HN, Johnson AE, Langer RD, Limacher MC, Manson JE, Stefanick ML, Allison M. The Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing of Early Prevention A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2020 Nov 30:CIR0000000000000912. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000912.
• Samargandy S, Matthews KA, Brooks MM, Barinas-Mitchell E, Magnani JW, Janssen I, Hollenberg SM, El Khoudary SR. Arterial Stiffness Accelerates within One Year of the Final Menstrual Period: the SWAN Heart Study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2020 Apr;40(4):1001-1008. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.119.313622. Epub 2020 Jan 23.
• El Khoudary SR, Venugopal V, Mason J, Brooks M, Santoro N, Black D, Harman S, Hodis HN, Brinton E, Miller V, Taylor H, Budoff M. Heart Fat and Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis Progression in Recently Menopausal Women: Impact of Menopausal Hormone Therapy. The KEEPS Trial. Menopause. 2020 Mar;27(3):255-262. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001472.
• El Khoudary SR, Zhao Q, Venugopal V, Mason J, Brooks M, Santoro N, Black D, Harman S, Cedars M, Hopkins P, Kearns A, Miller V, Taylor H, Budoff M. Effects of Hormone Therapy on Heart Fat Deposition and Coronary Artery Calcification Progression in Recently Menopausal Women: Secondary Analysis from the KEEPS Clinical Trial. JAHA (In press).
• El Khoudary SR, Chen X, Nasr A, Shields K, Barinas-Mitchell E, Janssen I, Everson-Rose S, Powell L, Matthews K. Greater Peri-Aortic Fat Volume at Midlife is Associated with Slower Gait Speed Later in Life in Women: The SWAN Cardiovascular Fat ancillary study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2019 Apr 12. pii: glz095. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glz095.
• El Khoudary SR, Ceponiene I, Samargandy S, Stein J, Li D, Tattersall M, Budoff MJ. HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) Metrics and Atherosclerotic Risk in Women. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2018 Sep;38(9):2236-2244. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.118.311017.       
• Hanley C, Matthews K, Brooks M, Janssen I, Budoff MJ, Sekikawa A, Mulukutla S, El Khoudary SR. Cardiovascular fat in women at midlife: effects of race, overall adiposity, and central adiposity. The SWAN Cardiovascular Fat Study. Menopause. 2018 Jan;25(1):38-45.
• El Khoudary SR. Gaps, limitations and new insights on endogenous estrogen and follicle stimulating hormone as related to risk of cardiovascular disease in women traversing the menopause: A narrative review. Maturitas. 2017 Oct;104:44-53.
• El Khoudary SR. HDL and the menopause. Curr Opin Lipidol. 2017 Aug;28(4):328-336.
• Santoro N, Crawford SL, El Khoudary SR, Allshouse AA, Burnett-Bowie SA, Finkelstein J, Derby C, Matthews K, Kravitz HM, Harlow SD, Greendale GA, Gold EB, Kazlauskaite R, McConnell D, Neal-Perry G, Pavlovic J, Randolph J, Weiss G, Chen HY, Lasley B. Menstrual Cycle Hormone Changes in Women Traversing Menopause: Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017 Jul 1;102(7):2218-2229.
• Shields KJ, El Khoudary SR, Ahearn JM, Manzi S. Aortic Perivascular Adipose Tissue Density is Independently Associated with Aortic Calcification in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematous. Atherosclerosis. 2017 Jul;262:55-61.
• El Khoudary SR, Shields K, Janssen I, Budoff M, Everson-Rose S, Powell L Matthews K. Postmenopausal Women with Greater Paracardial Fat Have More Coronary Artery Calcification than Premenopausal Women: The SWAN Cardiovascular Fat Ancillary Study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017 Jan 29;6(2).
• Matthews KA, El Khoudary SR, Brooks MM, Derby CA, Harlow SD, Barinas-Mitchell EJ, Thurston RC. Lipid Changes Around the Final Menstrual Period Predict Carotid Subclinical Disease in Postmenopausal Women. Stroke. 2017 Jan;48(1):70-76.
• El Khoudary SR, Hutchins PM, Matthews KA, Brooks MM, Orchard TJ, Ronsein GE, Heinecke JW. Cholesterol Efflux Capacity and Subclasses of HDL Particles in Healthy Women Transitioning Through Menopause. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2016 Sep;101(9):3419-28.
• El Khoudary SR, Wang L, Brooks MM, Thurston RC, Derby D, Matthews KA. Increase HDL-C Level over The Menopausal Transition is Associated with Greater Atherosclerotic Progression. J Clin Lipidol. 2016 Jul-Aug;10(4):962-9.
• El Khoudary SR, Santoro N, Chen HY, Tepper PG, Brooks MM, Thurston RC, Janssen I, Harlow SD, Barinas-Mitchell E, Selzer F, Derby CA, Jackson EA, McConnell D, Matthews KA. Trajectories of estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone over the menopause transition and early markers of atherosclerosis after menopause. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2016 May;23(7):694-703.
• Thurston RC, El Khoudary SR, Tepper PG, Jackson EA, Joffe H, Chen HY, Karen A.Matthews. Trajectories of vasomotor symptoms and carotid intima media thickness in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Stroke. 2016 Jan;47(1):12-7.
• Nagaraj N,  Matthews KA, Shields KJ, Barinas-Mitchell E, Budoff M, El Khoudary SR. Association between complement proteins and arterial calcification in mid-life women: role of cardiovascular fat. The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Atherosclerosis. 2015 Oct 24;243(2):533-539.
• El Khoudary SR, Shields K, Janssen I, Hanley C, Budoff M, Barinas-Mitchell E, Everson-Rose SA, Powell LH, Matthews KA. Cardiovascular Fat, Menopause and Endogenous Sex Hormones in Women: The SWAN Cardiovascular Fat Ancillary Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015 Sep;100(9):3304-12.
• Allshouse AA, Polotsky A, Crawford S, Chen HY, El Khoudary SR, Santoro N. Consistent Ovulation May not be Not Enough to Make You Healthy when Approaching Menopause: An Update from SWAN. Menopause. 2015 Mar;22(3):267-74.
• El Khoudary SR, Chen HY, Barinas-Mitchell E, McClure C, Selzer F, Karvonen-Gulierrez C, Jackson EA, Ylitalo KR, Sternfeld B. Simple Physical Performance Measures and Vascular Health in Late Midlife Women: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Int J Cardiol. 2015 Mar 1;182:115-20.
• El Khoudary SR , Shin C, Masaki K, Miura K, Budoff M, Edmundowicz D , Kadowaki S, Barinas-Mitchell E, El-Saed A, Fujiyoshi A, Evans R, Hisamatsu T , Ohkubo T, Willcox B, Kuller L, Ueshima H, Sekikawa A. Ectopic Cardiovascular Fat in Middle-Aged Men: Effects of Race/Ethnicity, Overall and Central Adiposity. The ERA-JUMP Study. Int J Obes (Lond). 2015 Mar;39(3):488-94.
• Ahuja V, Kadowaki T, Evans RW, Kadota A, Okamura T, El Khoudary SR, Fujiyoshi A, Barinas-Mitchell EJ, Hisamatsu T, Vishnu A, Miura K, Maegawa H, El-Saed A, Kashiwagi A, Kuller LH, Ueshima H, Sekikawa A; for the ERA JUMP Study
  Group.  Comparison of HOMA-IR, HOMA-β% and disposition index between US white men and Japanese men in Japan: the ERA JUMP study. Diabetologia. 2015 Feb;58(2):265-71.
• El Khoudary SR, McClure C, VoPham T, Karvonen-Gutierrez CA, Sternfeld B, Cauley J, Khalil N, Sutton-Tyrrell K. Longitudinal Assessment of the Menopausal Transition, Endogenous Sex Hormones, and Perception of Physical Functioning: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2014 Aug;69(8):1011-7.
• El Khoudary SR, Brooks MM, Thurston RC, Matthews KA.  Lipoprotein subclasses and endogenous sex hormones in women at midlife. J Lipid Res. 2014 May 22;55(7):1498-1504.
• Thurston RC, El Khoudary SR, Derby CA, Barinas-Mitchell, Lewis TT, McClure CK, Matthews KA. Education, income, and financial strain over 12 years in relation to subclinical cardiovascular disease in the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Stroke. Stroke. 2014 Apr;45(4):954-60.
• El Khoudary SR, McClure C, VoPham T, Karvonen-Gutierrez CA, Sternfeld B, Cauley J, Khalil N, Sutton-Tyrrell K. Longitudinal Assessment of the Menopausal Transition, Endogenous Sex Hormones, and Perception of Physical Functioning: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2014 Jan 24. 
• McClure CK, El Khoudary SR, Karvonen-Gutierrez CA, Ylitalo KR, Tomey T, VoPham T, Sternfeld B, Cauley JA, Harlow S. Prospective associations between inflammatory and hemostatic markers and physical functioning limitations in mid-life women: Longitudinal Results of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Exp Gerontol. 2014 Jan;49:19-25.
• El Khoudary SR, Shields KJ, Chen HY, Matthews KA. Menopause, Complement, and Hemostatic Markers in Women at Midlife: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Atherosclerosis. 2013 Nov;231(1):54-8.
• Ylitalo KR, Karvonen-Gutierrez CA, Fitzgerald N, Zheng T, Sternfeld B, El Khoudary SR, Harlow SD. Relationship of Race/Ethnicity, Body Mass Index, and Economic Strain with Longitudinal Self-Report of Physical Functioning: The Study of Women’s Health Across the
  Nation. Ann Epidemiol. 2013 Jul;23(7):401-8.
• Matthews KA, Gibson CJ, El Khoudary SR, Thurston RC. Changes in Cardiovascular Risk Factors by Hysterectomy Status with and without Oophorectomy: Study of Women’s Health
  across the Nation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013 Jul 16;62(3):191-200.
• Gibson CJ, Thurston RC, El Khoudary SR, Wildman R, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Matthews KA. Body Mass Index Following Natural Menopause and Hysterectomy with and without Bilateral
  Oophorectomy: Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Int J Obes (Lond). 2013 Jun;37(6):809-13.
• Kavanagh K, Espeland MK, Sutton Tyrrell K, Barinas-Mitchell E, El Khoudary SR, Wildman
  RP. Liver fat and SHBG affect insulin resistance in midlife women: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Obesity 2013 May;21:1031-1038.
• El Khoudary SR, Barinas-Mitchell E, White J, Sutton-Tyrrell K , Kuller LH , Curb JD, Chol S,
  Ueshima H, Masaki k, Evans RW, Miura K, Edmundowicz D, Sekikawa A. Adiponectin,
  Systolic Blood Pressure, and Alcohol Consumption Are Associated with More
  Aortic Stiffness Progression among Apparently Healthy Men: The ERA JUMP study. Atherosclerosis. 2012 Dec;225(2):475-480.
• Thurston RC, El Khoudary SR, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Crandall C, Sternfeld B, Selzer F, Gold E,
  Matthews K. Vasomotor symptoms and insulin resistance in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Oct;97(10):3487-94.
• El Khoudary SR, Wildman RP, Matthews K, Thurston RC, Bromberger JT, Sutton-Tyrrell K.
  Endogenous Sex Hormones Impact the Progression of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Women during the Menopausal Transition. Atherosclerosis. 2012 Nov;225(1):180-6.
• Tepper P, Crawford S, McConnell D, Joffe HM, El Khoudary SR, Gold EB, Bromberger JT,
  Randolph J, Sutton-Tyrrell K. Distinct Hormone Trajectory Patterns during Menopausal Transition. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Aug;97(8):2872-80.
• El Khoudary SR, Wildman RP, Matthews K, Thurston RC, Bromberger JT, Sutton-Tyrrell K.
  Progression Rates of Carotid Intima-media Thickness and Adventitial Diameter during the Menopausal Transition. Menopause 2013 Jan;20(1):8-14.
• Tseng LA, El Khoudary SR , Young EA, Farhat G, Sowers M, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Newman AB.
  The Association of Menopause Status with Physical Function: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Menopause. 2012 Nov;19(11):1186-92.
• Thurston RG, El Khoudary SR, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Crandall C, Gold E, Sternfeld B, Joffe H, Selzer F, Matthews K. Hot flashes and lipids in the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Obstet Gynecol. 2012;119(4):753-61.
• Lasley BL, Chen J, Stanczyk FZ, El Khoudary SR,  Gee NA, Crawford S , McConnell DS. Androstenediol Compliments Estrogenic Bioactivity during the Menopausal Transition. Menopause. 2012;19(6):650-657.
• Huang G, Wang D, Zeb I, Budoff MJ, Harman SM, Miller V, Brinton EA, El Khoudary SR, Manson JE, Sowers MR, Hodis HN, Merriam GR, Cedars MI, Taylor HS, Naftolin F, Lobo RA, Santoro N, Wildman RP. Intra-Thoracic Fat, Cardiometabolic Risk Factors, and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in Healthy, Recently Menopausal Women Screened for the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS). Atherosclerosis. 2012 Mar;221(1):198-205.
• Thurston RC, El Khoudary SR, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Crandall CJ, Gold EB, Sternfeld B, Selzer
  F, Matthews KA. Are Vasomotor Symptoms Associated with Alterations in Hemostatic and Inflammatory Markers? Findings from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation.  Menopause. 2011 Oct;18(10):1044-51.
• El Khoudary SR, Wildman RP, Matthews KA, Powell L, Hollenberg S, Edmundowicz D, Sutton-Tyrrell K. Effect Modification of Obesity on Associations between Endogenous Reproductive
  Hormones and Arterial Calcification in Women at Midlife. Menopause. 2011 Aug;18(8):906-14.
• Wildman RP, I Janssen, Khan U, Thurston R, Barinas-Mitchell E, El Khoudary SR, Everson-Rose SA, Kazlauskaite R, Matthews KA, Sutton-Tyrrell K. Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue in Relation to Subclinical Atherosclerosis and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Midlife Women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Apr;93(4):719-26.
• Njoroge JN, El Khoudary SR, Fried LF, Barinas-Mitchell E, Sutton-Tyrrell K. High Urinary
  Sodium is Associated with Increased Carotid Intima-media Thickness in Normotensive Overweight and Obese Adults. Am J Hypertens. 2011 Jan;24(1):70-6.
• Manrique AM, Arroyo M, Lin Y,  El Khoudary SR, Colvin E, Lichtenstein S, Chrysostomou C, Orr R, Jooste E, Davis P, Wearden P, Morell V, Munoz R. Magnesium Supplementation During
  Cardiopulmonary Bypass to Prevent Junctional Ectopic Tachycardia after Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Study. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2010 Jan;139(1):162-169.e2. 
• El Khoudary SR, Talbott EO, Bromberger JT, Chang CH, Songer TJ, Davis EL. Severity of Interstitial Cystitis Symptoms and Quality of Life in Female Patients. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2009 Sep;18(9):1361-8.
• Reynolds JC, Callaway CW, El Khoudary SR, Moore CG, Alvarez RJ, Rittenberger JC. Review of A Large Clinical Series: Coronary Angiography Predicts Improved Outcome Following Cardiac Arrest: Propensity-Adjusted Analysis. J Intensive Care Med. 2009 June. 24(3): 179-186. 
• Morone NE, Karp JF, Lynch CS, Bost JE, El Khoudary SR, Weiner DK. Impact of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pathology on Older Adults: A study of Differences Between Knee OA and Low Back Pain. Pain Med. 2009 May-Jun;10(4):693-701.
• Coon D, Gusenoff JA, Kannan N, El Khoudary SR, Naghshineh N, Rubin JP. The Role of Body Mass in Postbariatic Reconstructive Complications: Analysis of 511 Cases. Ann Surg. 2009 Mar. 249(3):397-401.
• Davis LE, El Khoudary SR, Talbott EO, Davis J, Regan LJ. Safety and Efficacy of the Use of Intravesical and Oral Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium for Interstitial Cystitis: A Randomized Double Blind Clinical Trial. J Urol. 2008 Jan. 179(1):177-85.