Björn Pasternak

Björn Pasternak

Principal Researcher | Docent
Visiting address: ,
Postal address: K2 Medicin, Solna, K2 KEP Askling Pasternak, 171 77 Stockholm
Part of:

About me

  • 2002-2007 MD, Linköping University, Sweden
    2004-2008 PhD, Linköping University, Sweden
    2009-2016 Postdoc and Researcher, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
    2016- Senior/Principal Researcher, Karolinska Institutet
    2017- Associate Professor (docent), Karolinska Institutet

Research

  • Thriving on substantial expertise in large-scale register studies of adverse drug effects, we have the overall objective of using high-quality epidemiology to help inform evidence-based decisions in clinical practice. We have ongoing research programs in safety and effectiveness of new diabetes drugs, heart failure, pediatric pharmacoepidemiology, and the area of expedited assessment of current drug safety concerns. My team’s scope is not limited to one single disease entity or therapeutic area, rather, we are in a constant process of seeking out and addressing emerging drug safety concerns with implications for clinical practice. 



  • TEAM MEMBERS
    * Peter Ueda, MD, PhD, assistant professor
    * Viktor Wintzell, PhD, coordinator/statistician
    * Henrik Svanström, PhD, senior statistician
    * Arvid Engström, MD, PhD-student
    * Carl-Emil Lim, MD, PhD-student
    * Laura Pazzagli, PhD, research specialist
    * Paulina Jonéus, PhD, postdoc

    OUR RESEARCH IS AND HAS BEEN FUNDED BY
    * Swedish Research Council
    * Karolinska Institutet Faculty Funded Consolidator Grant
    * Swedish Cancer Society
    * Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation
    * Thrasher Research Foundation
    * ALF Stockholm

    Novo Nordisk Foundation
    * Nordic Cancer Union
    * Swedish Diabetes Foundation
    * Strategic Research Area Epidemiology (SfoEpi) at Karolinska Institutet
    * Karolinska Institutet Foundations and Funds
    * Stiftelsen Frimurare Barnhuset
    * Alzheimerfonden
    * Dr Margaretha Nilsson Stiftelse för Medicinsk Forskning
    * Åke Wibergs Stiftelse
    * Magnus Bergvalls Stiftelse

    SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
    Svanström H, Mkoma GF, Hviid A, Pasternak B. SGLT2 inhibitors and mortality among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: a linked database study. BMJ 2024

     

  • Ueda P, Söderling J, Wintzell V, Svanström H, Pazzagli L, Eliasson B, Melbye M, Hviid A, Pasternak B. GLP-1 receptor agonist use and suicide death. JAMA Intern Med 2024

     

  • Pasternak B, Wintzell V, Hviid A, Eliasson B, Gudbjörnsdottir S, Jonasson C, Hveem K, Svanström H, Melbye M, Ueda P. Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist use and risk of thyroid cancer: Scandinavian cohort study. BMJ 2024

     

  • Engström A, Wintzell V, Melbye M, Svanström H, Eliasson B, Gudbjörnsdottir S, Hveem K, Jonasson C, Hviid A, Ueda P, Pasternak B. Association of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists with serious liver events: a Scandinavian cohort study. Hepatology 2024

     

  • Ueda P, Svanström H, Hviid A, Eliasson B, Svensson AM, Franzén S, Gudbjörnsdottir S, Hveem K, Jonasson C, Wintzell V, Melbye M, Pasternak B. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and risk of bladder and renal cancer: Scandinavian cohort study. Diabetes Care 2022

     

  • Wintzell V, Svanström H, Pasternak B. Selection of comparator group in 


  • observational drug safety studies: alternatives to the active comparator new
    user design. 
  • Epidemiology 2022


    Pasternak B, Wintzell V, Melbye M, Eliasson B, Svensson AM, Franzén S,  


  • Gudbjörnsdottir S, Hveem K, Jonasson C, Svanström H, Ueda P. Use of
    sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors and risk of serious renal events:
    Scandinavian cohort study. BMJ 
  • 2020

     

  • Pasternak B, Ueda P, Eliasson B, Svensson AM, Franzén S,  


  • Gudbjörnsdottir S, Hveem K, Jonasson C, Wintzell V, Melbye M, Svanström H.
    Use of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and risk of major
    cardiovascular events and heart failure: Scandinavian register based cohort
    study. 
  • BMJ 2019

     

  • Svanström H, Ueda P, Melbye M, Eliasson B, Svensson AM, Franzén S,  


  • Gudbjörnsdottir S, Hveem K, Jonasson C, Pasternak B. Use of liraglutide 

  • and risk of major cardiovascular events: a register-based cohort study in
    Denmark and Sweden. 
  • Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 
  • 2019

     

  • Ueda P, Svanström H, Melbye M, Eliasson B, Svensson AM, Franzén S,  


  • Gudbjörnsdottir S, Hveem K, Jonasson C,  
  • Pasternak B. Sodium glucose 

  • cotransporter 2 inhibitors and risk of serious adverse events: nationwide
    register based cohort study. 
  • BMJ 2018

     

  • Pasternak B, Inghammar M, Svanström H. Fluoroquinolone use and risk of 


  • aortic aneurysm and dissection: nationwide cohort study. 
  • BMJ 2018

     

  • Scheller NM, Pasternak B, Mølgaard-Nielsen D, Svanström H, Hviid A. 


  • Quadrivalent HPV Vaccination and the Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes. 
  • New
    England Journal of Medicine 2017

     

  • Molgaard-Nielsen D, Svanstrom H, Melbye M, Hviid A,  

  • Pasternak B. 

  • Association Between Use of Oral Fluconazole During Pregnancy and Risk of
    Spontaneous Abortion and Stillbirth. 
  • JAMA 2016

     

  • Scheller NM, Svanstrom H, Pasternak B, Arnheim-Dahlstrom L, Sundstrom K,  


  • Fink K, et al. Quadrivalent HPV vaccination and risk of multiple sclerosis
    and other demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system. 
  • JAMA 2015

     

  • Scheller NM, Pasternak B, Svanstrom H, Hviid A. Quadrivalent human 


  • papillomavirus vaccine and the risk of venous thromboembolism. 
  • JAMA 2014

     

  • Nyboe Andersen N,  

  • Pasternak B, Basit S, Andersson M, Svanstrom H, Caspersen 

  • S, et al. Association between tumor necrosis factor-α antagonists and risk
    of cancer in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. 
  • JAMA 2014

     

  • Feenstra B, Pasternak B, Geller F, Carstensen L, Wang T, Huang F, et al. 

  • Common variants associated with general and MMR vaccine-related febrile 


  • seizures. 
  • Nature genetics 
  • 2014

     

  • Molgaard-Nielsen D,  

  • Pasternak B, Hviid A. Use of oral fluconazole during 

  • pregnancy and the risk of birth defects. New England Journal of Medicine 

  • 2013

     

  • Hviid A, Melbye M, Pasternak B. Use of selective serotonin reuptake 


  • inhibitors during pregnancy and risk of autism. 
  • New England Journal of
    Medicine 2013

     

  • Svanstrom H,  

  • Pasternak B, Hviid A. Use of azithromycin and death from 

  • cardiovascular causes. 
  • New England Journal of Medicine 2013

     

  • Pasternak B, Svanstrom H, Melbye M, Hviid A. Association between oral 


  • fluoroquinolone use and retinal detachment. 
  • JAMA 2013

     

  • Pasternak B, Svanstrom H, Molgaard-nielsen D, Melbye M, Hviid A. 


  • Metoclopramide in pregnancy and risk of major congenital malformations and
    fetal death. JAMA 
  • 2013

     

  • Pasternak B, Svanstrom H, Hviid A. Ondansetron in pregnancy and risk of 


  • adverse fetal outcomes. 
  • New England Journal of Medicine 2013

     

  • Pasternak B, Svanstrom H, Molgaard-Nielsen D, et al. Risk of adverse fetal outcomes following administration of a
    pandemic influenza A(H1N1) vaccine during pregnancy. JAMA 

  • 2012

     

  • Pasternak B, Svanstrom H, Molgaard-Nielsen D, et al. Vaccination against pandemic A/H1N1 2009 influenza in pregnancy
    and risk of fetal death: cohort study in Denmark. BMJ 2012

     

  • Svanstrom H, Pasternak B, Hviid A. Association of treatment with losartan 


  • vs candesartan and mortality among patients with heart failure. JAMA 2012

     

  • Pasternak B, Hviid A. Use of acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir in 


  • the first trimester of pregnancy and the risk of birth defects. JAMA 2010

     

  • Pasternak B, Hviid A. Use of proton-pump inhibitors in early pregnancy and 


  • the risk of birth defects. New England Journal of Medicine 2010

Articles

All other publications

Employments

  • Principal Researcher, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 2022-

Degrees and Education

  • Docent, Karolinska Institutet, 2017

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