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Center Members and Associate Members

EHSRC Member Details

Richard C.  Ahrens, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Email: richard-ahrens@uiowa.edu
Phone: (319) 356-4050

EHSRC Role(s): Member, Environmental Lung Disease Research Core

 


Dr. Ahrens has significant experience in the clinical pharmacology of asthma and cystic fibrosis, and in the clinical care of patients with lung disease. Primary focuses have been the development of novel study designs to meet challenges in the pharmacologic management of pulmonary disease, and in vivo and in vitro assessment of aerosol drug delivery. He has experience in clinical trials for asthma, including bioassay quantification of pulmonary deposition and activity of inhaled beta adrenergic and corticosteroid agents. He has training in Pediatrics, Pediatric Pulmonary Disease, and Clinical Pharmacology, and is Co-Director of the CF Clinical Center. Dr. Ahrens' clinical research pertains to the development of methods for identifying and quantitating early lung injury in CF.


Selected Publications:

  • Hendeles L, Prabhakaran S, Shuster J, Ahrens R. Use of methacholine challenge as a clinical bioassay of pulmonary delivery of a long-acting beta-agonist. Pharmacotherapy (accepted pending revisions, November 2010).
  • Moskowitz SM, Emerson JC, McNamara S, Shell RD, Orenstein DM, Rosenbluth D, Katz MF, Ahrens R, Hornick D, Joseph PM, Gibson RL, Aitken ML, Benton WW, Burns JL. Randomized trial of biofilm testing to select antibiotics for cystic fibrosis airway infection. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2010 Oct 20. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 20963843. PMCID: in process.
  • Adams WP, Ahrens RC, Chen ML, Christopher D, Chowdhury BA, Conner DP, Dalby R, Fitzgerald K, Hendeles L, Hickey AJ, Hochhaus G, Laube BL, Lucas P, Lee SL, Lyapustina S, Li B, O'Connor D, Parikh N, Parkins DA, Peri P, Pitcairn GR, Riebe M, Roy P, Shah T, Singh GJ, Sharp SS, Suman JD, Weda M, Woodcock J, Yu L. Demonstrating bioequivalence of locally acting orally inhaled drug products (OIPs): Workshop summary report. J Aerosol Med Pulm Drug Deliv 23:1-29, 2010. PMID: 20131983. PMCID: in process.
  • Ahrens RC. Proving inhaled corticosteroid equivalence: What are the clinically acceptable differences in performance? Respiratory Drug Delivery - Arizona 2008, Vol 1:pp 101-108, 2008. PMCID: N/A
  • Drummond MB, Schwartz PF, Duggan WT, Teeter JG, Riese RJ, Ahrens RC, Crapo RO, England RD, MacIntyre NR, Jensen RL, Wise RA. Intersession variability in single-breath diffusing capacity in diabetics without overt lung disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 178:225-232, 2008. PMCID: PMC2542422.
  • Wise RA, Teeter JG, Jensen RL, England RD, Schwartz PF, Giles DR, Ahrens RC, MacIntyre NR, Riese RJ, Crapo RO. Standardization of the single-breath diffusing capacity in a multicenter clinical trial. Chest 132:1191-1197, 2007. PMID: 17890472. PMCID: N/A
  • Ahrens RC. Pharmacodynamic testing of generic inhaler bioequivalence: unresolved issues and potential solutions. Respiratory Drug Delivery - Europe 2007, Vol 1:pp 1-10, 2007.
  • Gibson RL, Retsch-Bogart GZ, Oermann C, Milla C, Pilewski J, Daines C, Ahrens R, Leon K, Cohen M, McNamara S, Callahan TL, Markus R, Burns JL. Microbiology, safety, and pharmacokinetics of aztreonam lysinate for inhalation in patients with cystic fibrosis. Pediatr Pulmonol. Pediatr Pulmonol 41:656-665, 2006.
  • Borowitz D, Goss CH, Stevens C, Hayes D, Newman L, O'Rourke A, Konstan MW, Wagener J, Moss R, Hendeles L, Orenstein D, Ahrens R, Oermann CM, Aitken ML, Mahl TC, Young KR, Dunitz J, Murray FT. Safety and preliminary clinical activity of a novel pancreatic enzyme preparation in pancreatic insufficient cystic fibrosis patients. Pancreas 32:258-263, 2006.
  • Hendeles L, Marshik PL, Ahrens R, Kifle Y, Shuster J. Response to nonprescription epinephrine inhaler during nocturnal asthma. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 95:530-534, 2005.
  • Dolovich MB, Ahrens RC, Hess DR, Anderson P, Dhand R, Rau JL, Smaldone GC Guyatt G. Device selection and outcomes of aerosol therapy: Evidence-based guidelines. American College of Chest Physicians / American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology. Chest 127:335-371, 2005.
  • Moss RB, Mayer-Hamblett N, Wagener J, Daines C, Hale K, Ahrens R, Gibson RL, Anderson P, Retsch-Bogart G, Nasr SZ, Noth I, Waltz D, Zeitlin P, Ramsey B, Starko K. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalating study of aerosolized interferon gamma-1b in patients with mild to moderate cystic fibrosis lung disease. Pediatr Pulmonol Published Online: 30 Nov 2004; DOI: 10.1002/ppul.20152.
  • Hendeles L, Beaty R, Ahrens R, Stevens G, Harman EM. Response to inhaled albuterol during nocturnal asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol 113:1058-1062, 2004.
  • Chrischilles E, Ahrens R, Kuehl A, Kelly K, Thorne P, Burmeister L, Merchant J. Asthma prevalence and morbidity among rural Iowa schoolchildren. J Allergy Clin Immunol 113:66-71, 2004.
  • McCarty NA, Standaert TA, Teresi M, Tuthill C, Launspach J, Kelly TJ, Milgram L, Hilliard K, Weatherly MR, Aitken ML, Konstan M, Ahrens RC. A phase I randomized, multicenter trial of CPX in adult patients with mild cystic fibrosis. Pediatr Pulmonol 33(2):90-98, 2002.