Vilija Oke

Vilija Oke

Affiliated to Research
Visiting address: ,
Postal address: K2 Medicin, Solna, K2 Reuma Antovic A, 171 77 Stockholm

About me

  • I am associated professor and specialist in Rheumatology. Currently I have a position as a senior consultant and head of research at Academic Specialist Center, Center for Rheumatology.

    I am a researcher affiliated to assoc. prof. Aleksandra Antovic/prof. Elisabet Svenungssons group.

    I did my specialization in Rheumatology at Karolinska University Hospital.

    I defended my PhD thesis in 2011 at the Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet.

    The title of my thesis is “Studies on molecular regulation of inflammation in Cutaneous lupus Erythematosus”.

    I am a researcher and affiliated to assoc. prof. Aleksandra Antovic/prof. Elisabet Svenungssons group.

Research

  • My research focus is skin inflammation in autoimmune disease. I believe that 
    investigation of autoimmune skin inflammation can provide us with better
    insight in systemic autoimmunity.

    Major lines of research: 


    1) Molecular pathogenesis of skin inflammation in cutaneous lupus
    erythematosus and other systemic rheumatic diseases (HUD-SS study).


    2) Co-morbidity in psoriatic arthritis (COMPASs study)

Teaching

  • I am an expert in teaching on autoimmune rheumatic diseases and skin manifestations of rheumatic diseases.

Articles

All other publications

Grants

  • Increased risk for thrombotic complications in patients with rheumatic diseases -from register data to individual patient and biomarkers
    Stockholm County Council and Karolinska Institutet (ALF)
    1 January 2024 - 31 December 2025
    Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common thrombotic vascular condition, comprising deep venous thrombosis-DVT and pulmonary embolism-PE. PE has a mortality rate of >15% in the first 3 months after diagnosis. Many studies show that patients with rheumatic diseases have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Comparatively little is known about the VTE-risk in rheumatic disorders. Despite the suggestive mechanistic links between systemic autoimmune diseases and VTEs, these highly inflammatory conditions are under-recognized as risk factors for hypercoagulability, and the underlying mechanisms explaining the increased risk for VTEs have not been clarified. We aim to identify, understand and eventually treat the underlying causes for VTE in consecutive cohorts of patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), systemic sclerosis (SSc), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The cross-talk between the coagulation, fibrinolysis and inflammation will be studied by investigating endothelial activation, the levels and activity of extracellular vesicles, thrombin generation, fibrin formation, fibrinolyisis and fibrin clot structure in relation to complement activation and inflammatory markers. In this way we would be able to link different steps of hemostatic process with inflammatory response and clinical characteristics of patients with AAV, APS, SSc, RA and PsA. Performing all analysis simultaneously in a single plasma sample comprises the investigation of virtually all components of hemostais without the need to analyse the whole blood. Identifying clinical- and laboratory characteristics of patients at VTE-risk among patients with AAV, APS, SSc, RA and PsA has important consequences in terms of management and treatment
    one might speculate that an addition of anticoagulant treatment to the aggressive anti-inflammatory treatment during flares could remodel vascular involvement especially in early stages of these diseases. The knowledge and clinical experience from this project should lead to favorable prognosis for individual patients.

Employments

  • Affiliated to Research, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 2023-2026

Degrees and Education

  • Degree Of Doctor Of Philosophy, Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, 2011

Leadership and responsibility assignments

  • Responsible for a section, Research and medical student education, Center for Rheumatology, Academic Specialist Center, , 2023-

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