# Exploratory Center of Excellence for Advancing Multimorbidity Science (CAMS)

> **NIH NIH P20** · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · 2020 · $374,683

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract – Parent Study
The parent study to this application is the Center for Advancing Multimorbidity Science (CAMS,
P20 NR018081-01, PI: Gardner and Rakel). Many people with chronic disease have more than
one chronic condition, which is referred to as multimorbidity (multiple chronic conditions:
MCC). Patients with MCC have worse health outcomes, including decreased functioning and
quality of life as well as greater depression, psychological distress, and mortality. However, little
data exist on MCCs risk and treatment profiles to provide direction for clinical practice guidelines
development. The specific aims of the parent study are to:
1. Develop a sustainable interdisciplinary biobehavioral research capacity by establishing
 and coordinating an infrastructure and resources that facilitates the integration of
 Multimorbidity and Symptom Science through the development of patient risk and
 therapy responder profiles.
2. Build thematic science beginning with a reconceptualization of the science of Multiple
 Chronic Conditions (Multimorbidity) to include Symptom Science.
3. Enable research that will develop into new programs of science and independent
 investigator research applications.
Project Summary/Abstract – Administrative Supplement
There is very little in the literature on MCC patterns and their associated pain symptomology for
patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This supplemental study will investigate relationships
among MCC, pain symptomology, healthcare utilization, and AD. We will leverage big data in a
healthcare dataset to describe the most clinically relevant MCC patterns in patients with AD and
to characterize the pain symptomology and healthcare utilization. The aims of this study are:
 1. Identify and describe the most frequent, highly correlated, and clinically relevant patterns
 of co-occurring chronic conditions among AD patients.
 2. Characterize healthcare utilization and pain symptomology for the MCC patient
 subgroups identified in Aim 1 and compare among the subgroups.
 3. Investigate the relationships between healthcare utilization and pain symptomology and
 MCC subgroups.
The results of this study will inform the prioritization of future research leading to clinical
guidelines based on patient profiles that will optimize pain treatments and outcomes for patients
with AD and MCC.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10121495
- **Project number:** 3P20NR018081-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
- **Principal Investigator:** SUE E GARDNER
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $374,683
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-08-13 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10121495

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10121495, Exploratory Center of Excellence for Advancing Multimorbidity Science (CAMS) (3P20NR018081-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-30 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10121495. Licensed CC0.

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