Aivars LEJNIEKS

Professor Dr.med. Aivars LEJNIEKS Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Riga Stradins University Head specialist of Internal Medicine, Riga Eastern Clinical  University Hospital Hipokrata iela 2, Riga, LV-1023 Latvia Phone:  + 371 67042337 Fax:  + 371 67042338 E-mail: lejnieks@latnet.lv

Born: May 26, 1957, Jurmala, Latvia

Languages: Latvian, Russian, English

Main fields of interest and research:

• Risk factors of cardio-vascular diseases, their detection and possible prevention
• Metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes, diabetes mellitus
• Arterial hypertension
• Calcium metabolism, vitamin D, osteoporosis, pathology of bone, muscles and connective tissues
• The significance and impact of viruses in internal medicine.

Education:

• Clinical Traineeship in internal medicine, Department of Internal Diseases No.3, Medical Academy of Latvia,   1983-1985
• MD, Riga Medical Institute – Faculty of General Medicine , Internship, Internal Medicine, Riga Medical Institute, 1978-1983
• Jurmala Secondary School No. 4, 1964-1978

Scientific Degree and Academic Tittle

• Dr.med. (Candidate of Science in former USSR), Moscow Research Institute of Transplantology and Artificial Organs, 1989
                           Thesis: "Effectiveness of pancreatic beta cell islet transplantation for diabetes mellitus patients".
• Professor of Endocrinology, 2004

 

• Professor, Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Riga Stradins University,  2001 - present
• Head specialist of Internal Medicine at Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital, 1992 -   present
• Expert of the State Compulsory Health Insurance Agency in diabetology and endocrinology, 1999 – 2001
• Assistant at the Department of Internal Diseases , Medical Academy of Latvia,   1992 
• Research Secretary, Medical Academy of Latvia,   1990 – 1992
• Senior lab-assistant, part-time lecturer, Department of Internal Diseases No.3 , Medical Academy of Latvia, 1987- 1992

Certificates in Medical Specialities:

• Endocrinology
• Internal Medicine   

Honours and Awards:

• Corresponding Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 2010
• The Commemorative Medal for Participants of the Barricades of 1991

• Chairman of Latvian Hypertension Association
• Board member of Latvian Association of Endocrinologists
• Head of the Certification Commission of Latvian Association of Endocrinologists
• Chairman of Latvian Association of Internists
• Member of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)
• Member of American Association of Diabetes
• Member of American Association of Hypertension
• Member of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
• Member of the International Association of Thrombosis and Coagulopathy
• Member of Latvian Central Bioethics Commission
• Chief National specialist (Internal medicine) of the Ministry of Health
• Member of the Strategic Council of the Ministry of Health
• Member of the editorial board of medical scientific magazines :
           DIABETO Panorama (Lithuania), Journal Baltic Endocrinology ISSN 1822-2293

• 10^th EFES Postgraduate Clinical Endocrinology Course in Riga in 2003 and 2005
• EFES Postgraduate Clinical Endocrinology Course, Riga, 2005 
• IV Baltic Hypertension Congress, Tallinn, 2010

     Organisation of and lecturing at educational seminars in Latvia and abroad. In the recent lectures the themes of the lectures related to: cardio-vascular risk factors, arterial hypertension, disorders of lipid and carbohydrates metabolism, metabolic syndrome, depressions, adiposity, calcium metabolism, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus and its late complications, problems of adrenal glands, thyroid and other endocrine diseases.

• Zvaigzne A., Bumbure A., Tretjakovs P., Lejnieks A., Pirags V. Regulation of synthesis and activity of protein kinase Cß₁ in platelets of diabetic patients after in vitro incubation. Protein Modules in Cellular Signalling. Edit by Ludwig Heilmyer Peter Friedrich NATO Science Series Life Sciences – 2000, Vol.318 81-88.
• Baryshev M., Sargsyan E., Wallin G., Lejnieks A., Furudate S., Hishinum A., Mkrtchian S.. Unfolded protein response is involved in the pathology of human congenital hypothyroid and rat non-goitrous congenital hypothyroidism.-  J Mol Endocrinol 2004 Jun; 32(3): P903-920.
• Murovska M., Kozireva S., Roce A., Danilane I., Mikazane H., Lejnieks A. Implication of HHV-6 in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. - Proc. II European Congress of Virology, 2004, 51-54.
• Mackevics V., Heid I., Wagner S., Cip P., Doppelmayr H, Lejnieks A., Gohlke H., Ladurner G. The adiponectin gene is associated with adiponectin levels but not with characteristics of the insulin- resistance syndrome in healthy Caucasians. - European Journal of Human Genetics (2006) 1-8.
• Leiter L, Betterige J, Chcra A, Chait A, Ferranini E, Haffner S, Kadowaki T, Tuomilehto J, Zimmet, Newman C, Hadavi J, Walkinshaw C, AUDIT Study Steering Committe (Lejnieks A. et al.)AUDIT study. Evidence of global undertreatmentof dyslipidemia inpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. - The British Journal of Diabetes and vascular Disease, 2006 Jan/Febr;Vol.6;Issue 1: pp.31-40
• Konrade I., Škapare E., Liepinš E., Kuka J., Petersone, Lejnieks A., Bierhaus A., Dambrova M. Microplate Assay of Glyoxalase I Activity in Blood Samples. - Proc. Latvian Acad. Sci.,  Section B. Vol. 61(2007), pp.20-30.
• Kuzema V., Petersons A., Lejnieks A., Anaemia Management in Chronic Kidney Disease: three Years Survey. - RSU Collection of Scientific Papers, 2007; pp.28-32.
• Kozireva SV, Zestkova JV, Mikazane HJ, KadisaAL, Lejnieks AA, Danilane JN, Murovska MF. Incidence and Clinical Significance of Parvovirus B19 infection in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. - J Rheumatol. 2008 Jul; 35(7):1265-1270.
• Adamsone I., Daukste I., Dzivite I., Lejnieks A., Platkajis A., Rasa I. Recommendation for Osteodensitometry Testing in Latvia. - Baltic Endocrinology, 2008, Vol4, N^o1; pp25-37.
• Kalejs O, Jubele K, Vikmane M, Sipacevs P, Nesterevics N, Lejnieks A. Intrahospital Arrhytmias – Who Are We Now and What We Can Do? - Proc. Latvian Acad. Sci., 2008, Vol.62, N^o4/5, Suppl.S71-S76.
• Davies M, Lavalle-Gonzalez F, Storms F, Gomis R; Collaborators (1026): Lejnieks A. et al. AT.LANTUS Study Group. Initiation of insulin glargine therapy in type 2 diabetes subjects suboptimally controlled on oral antidiabetic agents: results from the AT.LANTUS trial. - Diabetes Obes Metab. 2008 May; 10(5):387-99.
• Kalejs O., Nesterovics N., Blumbergs M., Ansabergs J., Sakne S., Stabulniece M., Vikmane M., Lejnieks A. Effectiveness of radiofrequency catheter ablation on Atrioventricular Junction in Patients with Permanent Atrial Fibrillation: Results of follow-up 72 months. - RSU; SP, 2008: pp 5-16.
• Stukena A., Bahs G., Lejnieks A., Kalvelis A., Teiba U., Zvaigzne L. The Correlation between Various Indicators of Obesity and Gender, Age, Indicators of Lipids, Carbohydrate Metabolism and Inflammation. - RSU; SP, 2008: pp17-22.
• Kozireva S., Sultanova A., Kakurina N., Mikazane H., Lejnieks A., Murovska M. Serum IL-6, TNF- a, IL-1 b and IFN- g Levels in rheumatoid Arthritis Patients with Herpes Virus Type 6 (HHV-6) Infection.  - RSU; SP, 2008: pp110-113.
• Tretjakovs P, Jurka A, Bormane I, Mekelsone I, Reihmane D, Balode L, Jaualksne I, Mackevics V, Stukena I, Bahs G, Lejnieks A, Aivars J.I., Pirags V. Relation of Endothelial Dysfunction and Adipokine Levels to Insulin Resistance in Metabolic Syndrome Patients. - Proc. Latvian Acad. Sci., Section B, Vol.63 (2009), No 4/5 (663/664), pp.222-227.
• Stukena I., Kalvelis A., Bahs G., Teibe U., Tratjakovs P., Lejnieks A. Association between inflammatory markers and clinical and metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. - Proc. Latvian Acad. Sci., Section B, Vol.63 (2009), No 4/5 (663/664), pp.211-216.
• Stukena I., Kalvelis A., Bahs G., Teibe U., Tratjakovs P., Lejnieks A. Characteristics of cardiovascular risk factors and their correlation with the sex and age of patients in the Latvian population.-   Proc. Latvian Acad. Sci., Section B, Vol.63 (2009), No 4/5 (663/664), pp.147-152.   
• Cummings SR, San Martin J, McClung MR, Siris ES, Eastell R, Reid IR, Delmas P, Zoog HB, Austin M, Wang A, Kutilek S, Adami S, Zanchetta J, Libanati C, Siddhanti S, Christiansen C; Collaborators (239): Lejnieks A. et al. FREEDOM Trial.- N Eng J Med 2009 Aug 20; 361(8):756-65.

• A.Lejnieks (Head of the Project) . The mechanisms involving latent/ persistent viral infections in the etiopathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis . - Latvian Council of Science (LCS) Project No.09.1112   (2009 - )
• A.Lejnieks (co-reasercher). Persistence of human parvovirus B 19. - LCS Project No. 04.1155 (Head of the project M.Murovska) (2005-2008).
• A.Lejnieks (co-reasercher) The role of persistent ß-herpes virus infections in the etiopathogenesis of rheumatic and inflammatory diseases of the nervous system. - LCS Project No. 04.1157 ( Head of the project M. Murovska)  (2005-2008).
• A.Lejnieks (co-reasercher). Dynamic assessment of erosive destructive changes in joints and bone density using MR method. - LCS Project No. 03.0991 ( Head of the project A.Platkajs) (2003-2005).
• A.Lejnieks (Head of the Project). The significance of protein kinase C in thrombogenesis in diabetes mellitus patients and the possibilities of pharmacological assessment.- LCS Project No. 01.0351   (2001-2003).
• A.Lejnieks (Head of the sub-Project). Viral infections in patients with neutropenia of unclear origin and possibilities of chemo-therapy . - Project of the Ministry of Education and Science “For the development of research activities at universities”,  (2007-2008) .
• A.Lejnieks (Head of the sub-Project). Study of the quantitative and qualitative changes in the maxilla. LCS co-operation project 06.0036 The study of medical and socio demographic regularities in the process of aging among Latvian population (Head of the project I.Ozolanta), (2006-2009).
• European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes New Horizons Collaborative Research Initiative: Metabolic analysis of diabetes: elucidating the metabolic correlates of diabetic complications (Head M. Dambrova).

• NRP 2010 - 2013 . The development of new means and methods of prevention, treatment and diagnosis, biomedical technologies for improving public health (Head of the program V.Pirags).  Sub-project “Optimisation of medication use in the treatment of patients with Type II diabetes mellitus, on the basis of patients’ genetic and phonotypical profiles” (OPTIMED) (participant).         Project 9 “ Interaction between the genetic background of infection agents and host organisms”, sub-project No.9.2. “Clinical and immunogenetic study of autoimmune diseases facilitated by viral infections, the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches (leading researcher).
• NRP No.8 “Scientific study of the main pathologies threatening the survival and the life quality of Latvian inhabitants with the help of a multidisciplinary study consortium”  (Head of the consortium V.Pirags): 
           Project 8 (Leading researcher). “The development of modern measures for early diagnostics, prevention and therapy of obesity caused diseases and diabetes mellitus.”
           Project 9 (Head of the project, leading researcher). “Monitoring program of the long-term perspective of the risk factors and clinical forms of cardio-metabolic syndrome (register)”.

Participation in 22 clinical trials as principal investigator.

Supervised theses and completed theses – 7.

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Last update 07.05.2011