The Utrecht Health Project (or Leidsche Rijn GezondheidsProject (LRGP) is a population study of residents of the Leidsche Rijn, Utrecht area, who have been invited through their GPs working in the academic Primary Healthcare Centers in the area. The purpose of this study is to enable research on the impact of changes in health care policy, developments in community and public health and determinants - e.g. life style, behavioral, biological and genetic - of health and disease during lifetime, as well as quality management of (primary) health care itself. Until now 10,000 (of 25,000) inhabitants have given informed consent, Individual Health Profiles (IGP) have been made, and blood samples, ECG and spirometry data has been collected at recruitment. Follow-up data (on average 5 years now) is collected through continuous linkage with the computerized medical files recorded by trained general practitioners. Data on diagnoses, prescriptions and referrals of all 25,000 inhabitants is encoded in the database and coupled with intake IGP data of those having given informed consent.

Whistler (Wheezing Illnesses Study in LEidsche Rijn) is a satellite cohort of the Utrecht Health Project. Participants are newborns to inhabitants of Leidsche Rijn. Whistler was originally initiated to study early life predictors of (lower tract) respiratory disease in childhood. The focus has now expanded to include cardiovascular disease research questions as well. Recently, the milestone of 2,000 included newborns was reached in Whistler. The ultimate purpose is to follow participants up until adulthood.

For more information, click on the links below:
• How is the information collected?
• Which information is collected?
• What is the participation procedure?

Research co-ordinator: Mattijs E. Numans, MD, PhD

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