UPMC Vascular Surgeons Receive Project Grant from the Society for Vascular Surgery Foundation
June 23, 2026
Vascular surgery experts at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute have received funding to help with their ongoing research focused on the topic of vascular disease and women.
Katherine Reitz, MD, and Natalie Sridharan, MD, were awarded the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) Foundation’s Vascular Care for the Underserved (VC4U) Project Grant. This grant supports initiatives designed to explore solutions to the significant disparities in vascular surgery care delivery across the United States.
In this case, it will help fund the study — “Linking Reproductive History to Vascular Health: Understanding Peripheral Artery Disease Risk After Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes.”
“The award is generous seed funding that supports additional preparation for research and continued growth in our research interests and in exploring women’s health — as it synergizes with peripheral artery disease,” Dr. Reitz explains. “This will help us continue to apply to more funding sources and continue to increase the amount of information we can put behind these efforts.”
Recent evidence links adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs), including hypertensive disorders, preterm delivery, gestational diabetes, placental abruption, and pregnancy loss, to increased risk of vascular disease. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between reproductive history and the development of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Utilizing electronic health records and obstetrics data, the study will identify associations between APOs and early-onset PAD, as well as major adverse limb events and cardiovascular events in women undergoing PAD treatment.
One major goal of the study is to implement a structured obstetric history tool in electronic health records (EHR). The team will interview clinicians, EHR developers, and patients to integrate sex-specific history into vascular care.
“We believe this study has potential to be rolled out to other providers, whether that be cardiologists, gynecologists, or women’s health specialists,” Dr. Sridharan says. “We’re hopeful that the knowledge and tools that come from this study can be used to support early patient referrals, allowing them to receive the proper care and to prevent vascular disease and adverse outcomes.”
Through evaluation of the relationship between APOs and PAD and the development of a standardized process to incorporate reproductive history into vascular care, this study will improve outcomes for women. Results are expected to support earlier diagnosis and intervention, ultimately helping to address disparities in vascular health.
About the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute
As the largest integrated adult and pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery program in Pennsylvania, the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute is a premier destination for adult cardiac surgery, interventional cardiology, pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery, treatment and management of adult congenital heart disease, vascular surgery, and more.
With more than 60 locations in three states, the expertise of the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute is available to you and your patients. We are committed to partnering with you on consultations, second opinions, and diagnosis and treatment for the continuum of cardiovascular conditions.
To learn more about the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute, or to refer a patient, email HVIReferral@upmc.edu.
