Adjunct Faculty
Adjunct faculty typically have an academic or research appointment at another institution and contribute or collaborate with one or more School of Medicine faculty members or programs.
Adjunct rank detailsChristopher T Rentsch, PhD, FISPE
Associate Professor AdjunctAbout
Research
Publications
2026
Bridging genomics and pharmacoepidemiology to expand treatment options for alcohol use disorder
Rentsch C, Malone S, Shi M, Setzer M, Piserchia Z, Winterlind E, Farokhnia M, Tazare J, Justice A, Fiellin D, Leggio L, Kranzler H, Gray J. Bridging genomics and pharmacoepidemiology to expand treatment options for alcohol use disorder. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2026, 50: e70247. PMID: 41811207, DOI: 10.1111/acer.70247.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesElectronic health recordsAlcohol use disorderAlcohol consumptionUnited States Department of Veterans AffairsDepartment of Veterans AffairsUse disorderBridge genomicsPublic health problemHealth recordsDrug repurposing candidatesNetwork-based analysisProblematic alcohol useGene identificationVeterans AffairsAssociation studiesEHR dataEffects of baclofenTarget proteinsGenomic findingsUnited States DepartmentAlcohol useHealth problemsCost-effective strategyGenesQuantifying selection bias due to unobserved patients in pharmacoepidemiologic studies of severe COVID-19 cohorts
Bokern M, Rentsch C, Quint J, Schultze A, Douglas I. Quantifying selection bias due to unobserved patients in pharmacoepidemiologic studies of severe COVID-19 cohorts. BMC Medical Research Methodology 2026, 26: 34. PMID: 41540342, PMCID: PMC12896000, DOI: 10.1186/s12874-025-02732-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPotential selection biasCOVID-19 deathsNon-admissionOdds of deathChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseQuantitative bias analysisSelection biasNon-hospitalised patientsConfidence intervalsNon-hospitalisedCase studyClinical Practice Research Datalink AurumDeath rateTarget populationPharmacoepidemiological studiesICS/LABA usersInverse probabilityBackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemicHospital pressureSensitivity of studiesCOVID-19LABA/long-acting muscarinic antagonistsDeath RegistrySevere COVID-19Inverse probability of treatment weighting
2025
Disentangling the relationship between glucose, insulin and brain health: A UK Biobank study
Mason A, Fatih N, Sofat R, Rentsch C, Smeeth L, Bhaskaran K, Chaturvedi N, Garfield V. Disentangling the relationship between glucose, insulin and brain health: A UK Biobank study. Diabetes Obesity And Metabolism 2025, 28: 1741-1749. PMID: 41388643, PMCID: PMC12890726, DOI: 10.1111/dom.70353.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGenome-wide association studiesWeighted median estimatorDementia riskMendelian randomisationBrain healthMendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sumAssociated with poorer brain healthInverse-variance weighted MRTwo-sample Mendelian randomisationAlzheimer's riskPleiotropy residual sumAlzheimer's dementia riskUK Biobank studyFasting GlucoseIndependent genome-wide association studiesHyperintensity volumeWhite matter hyperintensity volumeFasting insulinMR-EggerMR-PRESSOGenetic instrumentsMR assumptionsGlycaemic traitsBiobank studyLack of associationAssociations Between Prior and Current Unhealthy Alcohol Use and Liver Morbidity Risk and Mortality Among Veterans With a History of Hepatitis C Who Have Achieved Sustained Virological Response
Feelemyer J, Ban F, Braithwaite R, Bhattacharya D, Caniglia E, Justice A, Lim J, Re V, Scheidell J, Rentsch C, Khan M. Associations Between Prior and Current Unhealthy Alcohol Use and Liver Morbidity Risk and Mortality Among Veterans With a History of Hepatitis C Who Have Achieved Sustained Virological Response. Journal Of Viral Hepatitis 2025, 33: e70116. PMID: 41376520, DOI: 10.1111/jvh.70116.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSustained virological responseAlcohol use disorderRisk of hepatic decompensationAlcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-ConsumptionHistory of alcohol use disorderHepatic decompensationHigh-risk consumptionVirological responseAlcohol consumptionAlcohol useHistory of hepatitis CDirect-acting antiviral treatmentLow-risk alcohol consumptionHigh-risk alcohol consumptionHIV Co-InfectionAlcohol use categoriesRisk alcohol consumptionUnhealthy alcohol useCox proportional hazards modelsProportional hazards modelAUD diagnosisHCV infectionHepatitis CAntiviral treatmentHCV treatmentHigh‐Throughput Screening Using the Self‐Controlled Tree‐Based Scan Statistic to Identify Medications Associated With Hospitalization for Severe Acute Liver Injury
Re V, Newcomb C, Carbonari D, Leonard C, Rentsch C, Maro J. High‐Throughput Screening Using the Self‐Controlled Tree‐Based Scan Statistic to Identify Medications Associated With Hospitalization for Severe Acute Liver Injury. Pharmacoepidemiology And Drug Safety 2025, 34: e70275. PMID: 41345999, PMCID: PMC12678845, DOI: 10.1002/pds.70275.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSevere acute liver injuryChronic liver diseaseAcute liver injuryAcid suppressionLiver injuryTree-based scan statisticChronic liver disease patientsVeterans Health Administration dataHepatotoxicity signalsCase reportHealth administrative dataHepatotoxic drugsAppetite stimulationLiver diseasePatientsPotential associationChemotherapyDrugDiseasePharmacoepidemiological studiesScan statisticAntiemeticsHospitalCase-crossover designHigh-throughput screeningConcurrent Alcohol Use and the Relative Risk of Community‐Acquired Pneumonia Associated With Anticholinergic and Non‐Anticholinergic Neurocognitively Active Medication Receipt: A National Nested Case–Control Study Among US Veterans
Wang W, Crothers K, Akgün K, Gordon K, Rodriguez‐Barradas M, Womack J, Thompson J, Justice A, Rentsch C. Concurrent Alcohol Use and the Relative Risk of Community‐Acquired Pneumonia Associated With Anticholinergic and Non‐Anticholinergic Neurocognitively Active Medication Receipt: A National Nested Case–Control Study Among US Veterans. Pharmacoepidemiology And Drug Safety 2025, 34: e70279. PMID: 41340437, PMCID: PMC12676203, DOI: 10.1002/pds.70279.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNested Case-Control StudyConcurrent alcohol useOdds ratioCase-control studyAlcohol useRelative riskCommunity-acquired pneumoniaAt-risk consumptionRisk of community-acquired pneumoniaIncident CaP casesCohort entry dateActive medicationMedication receiptUS veteransSelf-report measuresMedication usePrimary exposureAlcohol consumptionConsuming alcoholHospital admissionCohort studyMedication typeIndex dateLogistic regressionIncidence densityApplying High‐Dimensional Propensity Scores in a Study of Inhaled Corticosteroids and COVID‐19 Outcomes
Bokern M, Tazare J, Rentsch C, Quint J, Douglas I, Schultze A. Applying High‐Dimensional Propensity Scores in a Study of Inhaled Corticosteroids and COVID‐19 Outcomes. Pharmacoepidemiology And Drug Safety 2025, 34: e70248. PMID: 41287049, PMCID: PMC12644305, DOI: 10.1002/pds.70248.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHigh-dimensional propensity scoreClinical Practice Research DatalinkInternational ClassificationClinical Practice Research Datalink AurumTherapy usersInternational Classification of Diseases 10th Revision codesCOVID-19 deathsPropensity scoreCOVID-19 outcomesPharmacoepidemiological studiesSNOMED-CT codesAssociation of ICCOVID-19 hospitalisationChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseWeak evidenceResidual confoundingObstructive pulmonary diseaseControl confoundingUnmeasured confoundersRevision codesICS usersCOVID-19ConfoundingIPT-weightedCox regressionRisk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment for Hepatitis C Virus Infection in People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus
van Santen D, Chalouni M, Berenguer J, Jarrin I, Miró J, Klein M, Young J, Torgersen J, Rentsch C, Gill M, Epstein R, Nunes D, Surial B, Rauch A, Touloumi G, Papadopoulos A, Wittkop L, Gilbert C, Leleux O, van der Valk M, Boyd A, Monforte A, Puoti M, Zangerle R, Gisinger M, Logan R, Rein S, Hernán M, Lodi S. Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment for Hepatitis C Virus Infection in People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2025, ciaf635. PMID: 41253696, DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaf635.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDirect-acting antiviralsAdvanced liver fibrosisDirect-acting antivirals initiationHIV-HCV co-infectionProbability of hepatocellular carcinomaHepatocellular carcinoma diagnosisHepatocellular carcinomaHepatitis C virusFollow-upLiver fibrosisCo-InfectionPost-DAADirect-acting antiviral treatmentRisk of hepatocellular carcinomaHepatitis C virus infectionHBV co-infectionHepatocellular carcinoma riskHuman immunodeficiency virusC virus infectionLoss to follow-upEligible individualsHIV-HCVHCC riskAntiretroviral therapyImmunodeficiency virusEthnic differences in the comparative effectiveness of second‐line type 2 diabetes medications in preventing cardiovascular disease
Harley M, Rentsch C, Williamson E, Shah A, Bidulka P, Warren‐Gash C, Bokern M, Mathur R. Ethnic differences in the comparative effectiveness of second‐line type 2 diabetes medications in preventing cardiovascular disease. Diabetes Obesity And Metabolism 2025, 28: 1013-1023. PMID: 41221787, PMCID: PMC12803632, DOI: 10.1111/dom.70273.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitorsSodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitorsEthnic differencesUK electronic health recordsElectronic health recordsEvidence of ethnic differencesWeak evidenceHeart failure hospitalisationEvidence of interactionType 2 diabetes medicationsBlack groupComparative effectivenessCardiovascular outcomesHealth recordsType 2 diabetesHazard ratioEffects of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitorsCotransporter-2 inhibitorsCardiovascular diseasePeptidase-4 inhibitorsEffects of sulfonylureasCox modelEthnicityTreatment comparatorsHospitalisationAssociation Between Herpes Zoster and Risk of Incident Fragility Fractures in US Veterans: A Matched Cohort Study
Yousuf C, Womack J, Bedimo R, Rentsch C, Warren‐Gash C. Association Between Herpes Zoster and Risk of Incident Fragility Fractures in US Veterans: A Matched Cohort Study. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2025, 73: 3778-3788. PMID: 41103253, PMCID: PMC12748036, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.70174.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRisk of fragility fracturesHigh risk of fragility fracturesIncident fragility fractureFragility fracturesHigh riskCohort studyVeterans Aging Cohort StudySite of careAging Cohort StudyPotential effect modifiersMatched Cohort StudyHerpes zosterHZ diagnosisNon-VeteransOlder adultsFracture preventionUS veteransLong-term bone healthHealthcare systemEffect modifiersCalendar timeVeteransFemale populationMatched veteransBone health
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
News
News
- January 02, 2025
Yale Department of Internal Medicine Faculty Promotions and Appointments (January 2025)
- March 11, 2024
Excess Deaths During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- February 02, 2023Source: NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program
Spironolactone as a potential new pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder: convergent evidence from rodent and human studies