Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine

Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine

ITAMAR B ABRASS MD
Professor and Division Head
University of Washington School of Medicine
Department of Medicine
Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine

Harborview Medical Center
325 9th Ave HH565 Box 359755
Seattle WA 98104-2499

PH (206) 341-4500
FX (206) 731-8753
EMail itamar@u.washington.edu

Licensure and Certification

Licensure	State of Washington
	***
Board Certification	Diplomate, The American Board of Internal Medicine Diplomate, The American Board of Internal Medicine Subspecialty of Endocrinology and Metabolism American Board of Internal Medicine Certificate of Added Qualifications in Geriatric Medicine

Education

1963	BS University of California, San Francisco CA
1966	MD University of California, San Francisco CA

Training

1971	National Institutes of Health Special Fellow University of California, School of Medicine San Diego CA
1970-1971	National Institutes of Health-Postdoctoral Trainee University of California, School of Medicine San Diego CA
1968-1970	Clinical Associate, United States Public Health Service
1967-1968	Resident in Internal Medicine Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, New York NY
1966-1967	Intern in Internal Medicine Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, New York NY

Positions

01/1972-06/1976	Assistant Professor University of California School of Medicine San Diego CA
07/1976-06/1980	Assistant Professor University of California School of Medicine Los Angeles CA
07/1980-06/1984	Associate Professor University of California School of Medicine Los Angeles CA
07/1984-06/1986	Associate Professor University of Washington School of Medicine Department of Medicine Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Seattle WA
07/1986-Present	Professor University of Washington School of Medicine Department of Medicine Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Seattle WA

Honors

	Alpha Omega Alpha
1993	President, Gerontological Society of America
2003	Joseph T Freeman Award, Gerontological Society of America

Bibliography

Original Work

Means AR, IB Abrass, and BW O'Malley. Protein biosynthesis on chick oviduct polyribosomes. I. Changes during estrogen-mediated tissue differentiation. Biochemistry 10:1561-1570, 1971.

Walton GM, GN Gill, IB Abrass, and LD Garren. Phosphorylation of ribosome-associated protein by an adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate-dependent protein kinase: Location of the microsomal receptor and protein kinase. Proc Nat Acad Sci, USA 68:880-884, 1971.

Rosenfeld MG, IB Abrass, J Mendelsohn, BA Roos, RF Boone, and LD Garren. Control of transcription of RNA rich in polyadenylic acid in human lymphocytes. Proc Nat Acad Sci, USA 69:2306-2311, 1972.

Rosenfeld MG, IB Abrass, and LA Perkins. Cleavage of the polyadenylate-rich region of polyadenylate-rich RNA. Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 49:230-238, 1972.

Gill GN, IB Abrass, A Barrieux, SA Fuhrman, KE Holdy, JB Kalstrom, GL Long, CN Mariash, H Masui, BA Roos, MG Rosenfeld, and GM Walton. Regulatory mechanisms in normal and neoplastic adrenal cells. Proc Fourth Int Congr Endocrinol (Int Congr Series No 273), Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, pp 449-455, 1972.

Rosenfeld MG, IB Abrass, J Mendelsohn, and HI Miller. Poly (A): Possible role in translation of poly (A)-rich RNA. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 144:215-219, 1973.

Perkins LA, IB Abrass, HI Miller, and MG Rosenfeld. A ribosome-associated inhibitor of the digestion of polyadenylate-containing ribonucleic acid. J Biol Chem 249:6999-7005, 1974.

Rosenfeld MG, IB Abrass, and B Chang. Hormonal stimulation of alpha-amylase synthesis in porcine pancreatic minces. Endocrinology 99:611-618, 1976.

Robbins AS, R Heinrich, IB Abrass, and DR Kauss. Teaching interpersonal skills in a medical residency training program: Preliminary report. J Med Educ 53:988-990, 1978.

Robbins AS, DR Kauss, R Heinrich, IB Abrass, J Dreyer, and B Clyman. Interpersonal skills training: Evaluation in an internal medicine residency. J Med Educ 54:885-894, 1979.

Kauss DR, AS Robbins, IB Abrass, RF Bakaitis, and LA Anderson. The long-term effectiveness of interpersonal skills training in medical schools. J Med Educ, 55, 595-601, 1980.

Abrass IB, and PJ Scarpace. Glucocorticoid regulation of myocardial beta-adrenergic receptors. Endocrinology, 108, 977-980, 1981.

Scarpace PJ, and IB Abrass. Thyroid hormone regulation of rat heart, lymphocyte and lung beta-adrenergic receptors. Endocrinology, 108, 1007-1011, 1981.

Abrass IB, and PJ Scarpace. Human lymphocyte beta-adrenergic receptors are unaltered with age. J Gerontology, 36, 298-301, 1981.

Scarpace PJ, and IB Abrass. Thyroid hormone regulation of beta-adrenergic receptor number in aging rats. Endocrinology 108, 1276-1278, 1981.

O'Connor SW, PJ Scarpace, and IB Abrass. Age-associated decrease of adenylate cyclase activity in rat myocardium. Mech Ageing Dev, 16, 91-95, 1981.

Kauss DR, AS Robbins, R Heinrich, and I Abrass. Interpersonal skills training: Comprehensive approach vs brief instruction. J Med Educ, 56, 663-665, 1981.

Rubenstein LZ, IB Abrass, and RL Kane. Improved patient care on a new geriatric evaluation unit. J Am Geriatrics Soc, 29, 531-536, 1981.

Tashkin DP, ME Conolly, RI Deutsch, KK Hui, M Littner, PJ Scarpace, and IB Abrass. Subsensitization of beta-adrenoreceptors in airways and lymphocytes. Amer Rev Res Dis, 125, 185-193, 1982.

Scarpace PJ, and IB Abrass. Glucocorticoid regulation of lung beta-adrenergic receptors. Drug Development Res, 2, 91-94, 1982.

Abrass IB, JL Davis, and PJ Scarpace. Isoproterenol responsiveness and myocardial beta-adrenergic receptors in young and aging rats. J Gerontology 37, 156-160, 1982.

Scarpace PJ, MR Littner, DP Tashkin, and IB Abrass. Lymphocyte beta-adrenergic refractoriness induced by theophylline or metaproterenol in healthy and asthmatic subjects. Life Sciences 31, 1567-1573, 1982.

Ouslander JG, RL Kane, and IB Abrass. Urinary incontinence in elderly nursing home patients. JAMA 248, 1194-1198, 1982.

Abrass IB, and PJ Scarpace. Catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase: Reduced action in aged human lymphocytes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 55, 1026-1028, 1982.

Scarpace PJ, and IB Abrass. Desensitization of adenylate cyclase and down regulation of beta-adrenergic receptors following in vivo administration of beta-agonist. J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 223, 327-331, 1982.

Scarpace PJ, and IB Abrass. Decreased beta-adrenergic agonist affinity and adenylate cyclase activity in senescent rat lung. J Gerontology 38, 143-147, 1983.

Scarpace PJ, SW O'Connor, and IB Abrass. The thermal lability of adenylate cyclase: Mechanisms of stabilization. Life Sciences 32, 817-824, 1983.

O'Connor SW, PJ Scarpace, and IB Abrass. Age-associated decrease in the catalytic unit activity of rat myocardial adenylate cyclase. Mech Ageing Dev, 21, 357-363, 1983.

Rubenstein LZ, D Wieland, P English, K Josephson, JA Sayre, and IB Abrass. The Sepulveda VA Geriatric Evaluation Unit: four-year outcome data and predictors of improved patient outcome. J Am Geriatrics Soc, 32, 503-512, 1984.

O'Connor SW, PJ Scarpace, and IB Abrass. The effect of age and cholesterol on the rat lung beta-adrenergic system. Biochim Biophys Acta, 778, 497-502, 1984.

Abrass CK, SW O'Connor, PJ Scarpace, and IB Abrass. Characterization of the beta-adredergic receptor of the rat peritoneal macrophage. J Immunol, 135, 1338-1341, 1985.

Scarpace PJ, SW O'Connor, and IB Abrass. Cholesterol modulation of beta-adrenergic receptor characteristics. Biochim Biophys Acta, 845, 520-525, 1985.

Scarpace PJ, LA Baresi, DA Sanford, and IB Abrass. Desensitization and Resensitization of beta-adrenergic receptors in a smooth muscle cell line. Mol Pharmacol 13, 495-501, 1985.

Scarpace PJ, SW O'Connor, and IB Abrass. Temperature and isoproterenol modulation of beta-adrenergic receptor characteristics. Life Sciences, 38, 309-316, 1986.

Scarpace PJ, and IB Abrass. Beta-adrenergic agonist-mediated desensitization in senescent rats. Mech. Ageing Dev, 35, 255-264, 1986.

Abrass IB. A study of training in clinical pharmacology of the elderly. Clin Pharmacol Ther, 42, 693-695, 1987.

Allen JM, EE Baetge, IB Abrass, and RD Palmiter. Isoproterenol response following transfection of the mouse beta2-adrenergic receptor gene into Y1 cells. EMBO J. 7, 133-138, 1988.

Allen JM, IB Abrass, and RD Palmiter. b2-adrenergic receptor regulation after transfection into a cell line deficient in the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Mol Pharmacol, 36, 248-255, 1989.

Schwartz RS, WP Shuman, VA Bradbury, KC Cain, GW Fellingham, JC Beard, SE Kahn JR Stratton, MD Cerqueira, IB Abrass. Body fat distribution in healthy young and older men. J Gerontology, 45, M181-M185, 1990.

Kahn SE, VL Bradbury, JC Beard, KC Cain, GW Fellingham, RS Schwartz, RC Veith, JR Stratton, MD Cerqueira, IB Abrass. Effect of exercise on insulin action, glucose tolerance and insulin secretion in aging. Am J Physiol, 258, E937-E943, 1990.

Nemanich JW, RC Veith, IB Abrass, JR Stratton. The effects of metoprolol on rest and exercise cardiac function and norepinephrine appearance and clearance rates in patients with chronic congestive heart failure. Am J Cardiol, 66, 843-848, 1990.

Schwartz RS, WP Shuman, VL Bradbury, KC Cain, GW Fellingham, JC Beard, SE Kahn, JR Stratton, MD Cerqueira, IB Abrass. The effect of intensive endurance training on body fat distribution in young and older men. Metabolism, 40, 545-551, 1991.

Stratton JR, WL Chandler, RS Schwartz, MD Cerqueira, WC Levy, SE Kahn, VG Larson, KC Cain, JC Beard, IB Abrass. The effects of physical conditioning on fibrinolytic variables and fibrinogen in young and older healthy adults. Circulation, 83, 1692-1697, 1991.

Kahn SE, VG Larson, RS Schwartz, JC Beard, KC Cain, GW Fellingham, JR Stratton, MD Cerqueira, IB Abrass. Exercise training delineates the importance of B-cell dysfunction of the glucose intolerance of human aging. J Clin Endo Metab, 74, 1336-1342, 1992.

Chandler WL, RC Veith, GW Fellingham, WC Levy, RS Schwartz, MD Cerqueira, SE Kahn, VG Larson, KC Cain, JC Beard, IB Abrass, JR Stratton. Fibrinolytic response during exercise and epinephrine infusion in the same subjects. J Am Coll Cardiol, 19, 1412-1420, 1992.

Schwartz RS, KC Cain, WL Shuman, VG Larson, JR Stratton, JC Beard, SE Kahn, MD Cerqueira, IB Abrass. Effect of intensive endurance training on lipoprotein profiles in young and older men. Metabolism, 41, 649-654, 1992.

Stratton JR, MD Cerqueira, RS Schwartz, WC Levy, RC Veith, IB Abrass. Differences in cardiovascular responses to isoproterenol in relation to age and exercise training in healthy men. Circulation, 86, 504-512, 1992.

Buchner DM, ME Cress, EH Wagner, BJ deLateur, R Price, IB Abrass. The Seattle FICSIT/MOVEIT study: the effect of exercise on gait and balance in older adults. J Am Geriatrics Soc, 41, 321-325, 1993.

Levy WC, MD Cerqueira, IB Abrass, RS Schwartz, JR Stratton. Endurance exercise training augments diastolic filling at rest and during exercise in healthy young and older men. Circulation, 88, 116-126, 1993.

Reed MJ, RB Vernon, IB Abrass, EH Sage. TGF- 1 induces the expression of type I collagen and SPARC, and enhances contraction of collagen gels, by fibroblasts from young and aged donors. J Cell Physiol, 158, 169-179, 1994.

Stratton JR, WC Levy, MD Cerqueira, RS Schwartz, IB Abrass. Cardiovascular response to exercise: Effects of aging and exercise training in healthy men. Circulation, 89, 1648-1655, 1994.

Stratton JR, WC Levy, RS Schwartz, IB Abrass, MD Cerqueira. b-Adrenergic effects on left ventricular filling: influence of aging and exercise training. J Appl, 77, 2522-2529, 1994.

Berliner H, WC McCormick, IB Abrass. Management of AIDS patients in an academic long-term care facility: report on a four year experience. AIDS Pub Policy J (In Press).

Raitt MH, C Tamblyn, JM Allen, IB Abrass. Beta-adrenergic receptor down-regulation and recovery in heart and lung in the Fisher 344 rat -- effects of aging and correlation with mRNA levels. J Gerontology, 50A, B213-B217, 1995.

Poulakkainen PA, MJ Reed, WR Gombotz, DR Twardzik, IB Abrass, EH Sage. Acceleration of wound healing in aged rats by topical application of transforming growth factor beta 1. Wound Rep Reg, 3, 330-339, 1995.

Reed MJ, PE Penn, Y Li, R Birnbaum, RB Vernon, TS Johnson, WR Pendergrass, EH Sage, IB Abrass, NS Wolf. Enhanced cell proliferation and biosynthesis mediate improved wound repair in refed, caloric-restricted mice. Mech Ageing Dev, 89, 21-43, 1996.

Reed MJ, A Corsa, W Pendergrass, P Penn, EH Sage, IB Abrass. Neovascularization in aged mice: Delayed angiogenesis is coincident with decreased levels of transforming growth factor b1 and type 1 collagen. Am J Pathol, 152(1), 113-123, 1998.

Levy WC, MD Cerqueira, GD Harp, K-A Johannessen, IB Abrass, RS Schwartz, JR Stratton. Effect of endurance exercise training on resting heart rate variability at rest in healthy young and older men. Amer J Cardiol 82:1236-1241, 1998.

Reviews/Case Reports

Abrass IB. Treatment of myxedema and myxedema coma. West J Med 124, 485, 1976.

Abrass IB. Hormone Receptors in Aging. Roche Laboratories Seminars on Aging (Monograph), 1983.

Abrass IB. Drugs: Friend and Nemesis of the Elderly. Cont Ed Fam Phys 19, 638-646, 1984.

Abrass IB. Column on Medicine. Amer Assoc Geriatric Psych Newsletter, 7,6, 1985;8,6-7, 1986.

Scarpace PJ, and IB Abrass. Alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptor function in the brain during senescence. Neurobiol Aging, 9, 53-58, 1988.

Abrass IB. The biology and physiology of aging. West J Med 153, 641-645, 1990.

Kahn SE, RS Schwartz, D Porte Jr, and IB Abrass. The glucose intolerence of aging: implications for intervention. Hosp Pract 26, 29-38, 1991.

Abrass IB. Research fellowship training in geriatrics. Am J Med 97 (4A), 45S-46S, 1994.

Brodkin KI, Abrass IB. Hypertension in the elderly. Generations, 20, 28-32, 1997.

Abrass IB, Schwartz RS. Special presentation of endocrine disease in the elderly. Current Practice of Medicine 1, 415-421, 1998.

McCormick WC, Abrass IB. Shifting thinking about memory impairment. Lancet 352, SIV6, 1998.

Phelan EA, Vig EK, Abrass IB. Some considerations regarding geriatric syndromes. Ann Intern Med 12:1095, 2001.

Books and Chapters

Robbins AS, S Vivell, RL Kane, IB Abrass, A Fink, JB Kosecoff, and JC Beck. Geriatric Medicine: An Education Resource Guide. Ballinger Publishing Company, Cambridge MA, 1981.

Kane RL, JG Ouslander, and IB Abrass. Essentials of Clinical Geriatrics. McGraw-Hill, New York NY, 1984.

Abrass IB. The Adrenals. In: Cassel, C and JR Walsh (eds). Geriatric Medicine: Principles and Practice. Springer-Verlag, New York NY, 1984.

Rubenstein LZ, and IB Abrass. Geriatric Assessment. In: Exton-Smith, AN and ME Weksler (eds). Practical Geriatric Medicine. Churchill Livingston, New York NY 1985.

Abrass IB. Endocrine Disease in Aging. In: Lavin, N (ed). Manual of Endocrinology and Metabolism. Little, Brown & Company, Boston MA, 1986.

Abrass IB. Catecholamine Levels and Adrenergic Responsiveness in Aging. In: Blood Pressure Regulation and Aging. Biomedical Information Corporation, New York NY 1986.

Beck JC, IB Abrass, JR Burton, JC Cummings, T Makinodan, GW Small (eds). The 1988 Year Book of Geriatrics and Gerontology. Year Book Medical Publishers, Chicago IL, 1988.

Abrass IB. Adaptation in Aging: Lessons from Receptor Studies. In: Aging in Liver and Gastro-intestional Tract. MTP Press Ltd, Lancaster, England, 1988.

Abrass IB. Homeostatic Mechanisms: Adrenergic Responsiveness and Thermoregulation. In: Kelly, WN. (Ed.). Textbook of Internal Medicine. JB Lippincott Co., Philadelphia PA, 1989.

Kane RL, JG Ouslander and IB Abrass. Essentials of Clinical Geriatrics (2nd Edition). McGraw-Hill, New York NY, 1989.

Beck JC, IB Abrass, JR Burton, JC Cummings, T Makinodan, GW Small (eds). The 1989 Year Book of Geriatrics and Gerontology. Year Book Medical Publishers, Chicago IL, 1989.

Abrass IB. Disorders of Temperature Regulation. In: Hazzard WR, et al (eds). Principles of Geriatric Medicine (2nd Edition). McGraw-Hill, New York NY, 1990.

Beck JC, IB Abrass, JR Burton, JC Cummings, T Makinodan, GW Small (eds.). The 1990 Year Book of Geriatrics and Gerontology. Year Book Medical Publishers, Chicago IL, 1990.

Abrass IB. Biology of Aging. In: Wilson JD, et al (eds). Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine (12th Edition). McGraw-Hill, New York NY, 1990.

Beck JC, IB Abrass, JR Burton, JC Cummings, T Makinodan, GW Small (eds). The 1991 Year Book of Geriatrics and Gerontology. Year Book Medical Publishers, Chicago IL, 1991.

Omenn GS, EB Larson, EH Wagner, IB Abrass (eds). Health promotion and disease prevention. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine. (Volume 8) WB Saunders, Philadelphia PA, 1992.

Beck JC, IB Abrass, JR Burton, JC Cummings, T Makinodan, GW Small (eds). The 1992 Year Book of Geriatrics and Gerontology. Year Book Medical Publishers, Chicago IL, 1992.

Abrass IB. Disorders of Temperature Regulation. In: Hazzard WR, et al (eds). Principles of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology (3rd Edition). McGraw-Hill, New York NY, 1993.

Abrass IB. An approach to the elderly patient. In: Osterweil D (ed). New Frontiers in Geriatric Medicine, Kendall, Milan, Italy, 1993.

Abrass IB. The physiology of aging. In: Osterweil D (ed). New Frontiers in Geriatric Medicine, Kendall, Milan, Italy, 1993.

Abrass IB. Diabetes and thyroid disease. In: Osterweil D. (ed) New Frontiers in Geriatric Medicine, Kendall, Milan, Italy, 1993.

Kane RL, JG Ouslander, and IB Abrass. Essentials of Clinical Geriatrics (3rd Edition). McGraw-Hill, New York NY, 1993.

Buchner DM, TD Koepsell, IB Abrass, P Karlen. Chronic illness as a risk factor for hip fracture: results of a case-control study and review of the literature. In: Apple DF, WC Hayes (eds). Prevention of Falls and Hip Fractures in the Elderly. American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, Rosemont IL, 1994.

Abrass IB, RS Schwartz. Special Presentations of Endocrine Disease in the Elderly. In: Bone RC (ed). Current Practice of Medicine, Current Medicine, Philadelphia PA (In Press).

Abrass IB. Disorders of Temperature Regulation. In: Hazzard WR, et al (eds). Principles of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology (4th Edition). McGraw-Hill, New York NY, 1998.

Kane RL, JG Ouslander, and IB Abrass. Essentials of Clinical Geriatrics (4th Edition). McGraw-Hill, New York NY, 1999.