University of Split - School of medicine

Department for Large Population Studies

Department for Large Population Studies

Head: Associate Professor Ozren Polasek 

Department for large population studies integrates several activities and research projects into the 10,001 Dalmatians - Croatian Biobank program. The main objective of this program is to create a comprehensive resource for the study of genetic, environmental and social determinants of health and diseases with emphasis on chronic diseases which are the leading cause of death in Croatia and other developed countries.

The program started in 1999 under the name 1,001 Dalmatians with the aim of including one thousand participants from ten localities on different Croatian islands (one hundred participants from each locality). Over time, the initiative has evolved and the program was given a new objective and name – 10,001 Dalmatians. By 2015, the program included 4,875 participants from six Adriatic islands (Susak, Rab, Lastovo, Mljet, Vis and Korcula), and from the city of Split.

Figure 1. Map of sampling regions

The program is carried out by the research team working at the Croatian Centre for Global Health, School of Medicine in Split. The team is composed of medical professionals and staff trained for field work. The implementation of this program is supported by the local communities that recognized the importance and value of this initiative. This program unites research and social benefit through a comprehensive medical examination. Clinically and scientifically important measurements and data on behavioral patterns and lifestyle are collected for each participant. The results of the medical examination are explained to each participant and, if needed, advice and instructions on how to further improve their health and prevent disease are provided.

Table 1. List of measured phenotypes
Phenotype
Vis
Korcula I
Split
Korcula II
Korcula III
Anthropometry
 
 
 
 
 
Basic anthropometry (height, weight, waist and hip circumference)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Impedance
Yes
No
No
No
No
Skinfolds (triceps, biceps, abdominal, subscapular, suprailiac)
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Brachial width and circumference
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Head circumference
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Sternal notch-finger length
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Anthropomics
 
 
 
 
 
3D facial scan
No
Yes*
Yes*
Yes*
No
3D body scan
No
Yes*
Yes*
Yes*
No
Clinical traits
 
 
 
 
 
Systolic blood pressure
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Diastolic blood pressure
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Digital ECG
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI)
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Pulse-wave analysis (PWA)
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Pulse-wave velocity (PWV)
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Calcaneal DEXA scan
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
Bone mineral density estimate (ultrasound)
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
Eye echosonography, refractometry and retinal fundus photography
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Lung function measurements (spirometry)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Cognition
 
 
 
 
 
EPQ-R personality survey
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Raven standard progressive matrices
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Mill-Hill vocabulary
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Digit-symbol coding
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Verbal fluency test
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Complex Reactionmeter Drenovac
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Medical history
 
 
 
 
 
General medical history
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Family genealogy
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Surveys
 
 
 
 
 
Rose angina questionnaire
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
EU respiratory health questionnaire
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Socioeconomic indices
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Food frequency questionnaire
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Food preference questionnaire
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Munich chronotype questionnaire
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Epworth sleepiness scale
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Berlin sleep apnoea questionnaire
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Social preferences questionnaire
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optimism questionnaire
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
General Health questionnaire (GHQ-30)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Pain catastrophizing questionnaire
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Health locus of control
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Sensomics
 
 
 
 
 
Pain threshold
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Pain tolerance
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Smell recongition
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Taste threshold
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Taste acuity
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Hearing threshold
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Biosamples
 
 
 
 
 
Serum sample
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plasma sample
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Whole blood sample (RNALater)
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Citrate sample
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dried blood spot
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Urine sample
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Biosample measurements
 
 
 
 
 
Basic biochemistry
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Serum lipidomics
Yes
No
No
No
No
Serum N-glycans
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
IgG N-glycans
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

The 10,001 Dalmatians program is funded from Croatian and international sources. Croatian sources of financing include projects of the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports (216-1080315-0302, 0108330, procurement of capital equipment) and the Croatian Science Foundation (GlycoIgG). International sources of financing include the UK Medical Research Council projects and the FP6 (EUROSPAN) and FP7 (BBMRI, ESGI) projects.
 
Previous research results of this program have helped in understanding the metabolism of uric acid, blood pressure levels, lung function, eye traits, blood lipid levels, onset of menarche and menopause, sleep regulation, smoking and levels of glycans, based on the genome-wide association study (publications). The main approach of this method is the analysis of the association of a large number of genetic markers with the observed trait. By using this method,   the scientists involved in the 10,001 Dalmatians program put Croatia on the 20th place in the world for the use of genome-wide analysis (Rosenberg NA, et al. Genome - wide association studies in diverse populations. Nat Rev Genet. 2010; 11:356-66). Scientific productivity of this program is also reflected in the 23 papers published in the Nature Genetics journal and three papers published in the Nature journal, all published between 2008 and 2013. Based on these and other papers, the Ministry of Science and Education project No. 216-1080315-0302 became the leading project in the field of biomedicine in Croatia according to Croatian scientific bibliography data.

    

The entire program is carried out under strict ethical rules and principles and the participants’ identity cannot in any way be linked to the results of measurements and data collected. All data and samples are collected under a unique code, so that all participants are ensured confidentiality and anonymity. This research was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Split School of Medicine (Class 003-08/11-03/0005, reg. no.: 2181-198-03-04/10-11-0008).
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