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Dr. Escalante

Contact

210-567-4682

escalante@uthscsa.edu

Departments & Divisions

Agustin Escalante, M.D.

Professor & Chief

Rheumatology

I joined the Department of Medicine in 1992 as an assistant professor, received Tenure in 2000, and was promoted to professor in 2003. During this time, I have studied the genetic and environmental determinants of the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) phenotype, basing most of my observations on a multi-ethnic RA cohort that my colleagues and I assembled in San Antonio. I have also examined ethnic disparities among patients with rheumatic diseases, and have considerable experience in the cross-cultural adaptation of research instruments. I have published my research in peer review journals, and have received RO1 and K24 grants from the NIH, as well as grants from the Health Care Financing Administration (now Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services), the Arthritis Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. I am a past Harold Amos scholar. I have served on advisory and grant review committees for the NIH, the American College of Rheumatology, the Arthritis Foundation, and several universities. I am former associate editor of Arthritis & Rheumatism, and current associate editor of Arthritis Care and Research. As a board certified rheumatologist, I have provided ongoing care to rheumatic disease patients at the Brady-Green clinic (now University Health Center Downtown) since 1992. I grew up in Mexico City, where I completed my undergraduate education and attended medical school. I did my residency at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and my fellowship at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

  • Professional Background

    Education

    • 1999 - Postdoctoral Fellowship - Clinical Research - Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Harold Amos Scholar/UTHSCSA
    • 1996 - Clinical Fellowship - Health Services Research - Association of American Medical Colleges/UTHSCSA
    • 1989 - Clinical Fellowship - Rheumatology - University of Southern California
    • 1986 - Residency - Internal Medicine - Baylor College of Medicine
    • 1983 - MD - Medicine - Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
    • 1976 - BS - Bio./Chem. - Colegio Franco Espanol
    • 1973 - AB - Sec. School - Escuela Secundaria Ramon Lopez Velarde

    Highlights

    01/2001

    Mid Career Award in Patient Oriented Research (K24): National Institute of Health, NIAMS

    01/1999

    Research Award (R0-1), National Institutes of Health, NICHD

    01/1999

    Arthritis Foundation Clinical Science Award

    01/1998

    Hispanic Health Services Research Award: Health Care Financing Administration

    01/1997

    Outstanding Teacher Award: Introduction to Clinical Medicine Course

    01/1994

    Robert Wood Johnson Minority Medical Faculty Development Award

     

    Appointments

    • 9/2011 - Rheumatology Specialist - Medical Arts and Research Center, Medicine, San Antonio
    • 9/2011 - Chief, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology and Division Chief - University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Medicine, San Antonio
    • 1/2003 - Professor of Medicine with Tenure - University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Medicine, San Antonio
    • 1/1992 - Attending Physician - University HospitalSan Antonio
    • 1/1992 - Attending Physician - University Health Center DowntownSan Antonio

  • Instruction & Training

    • 1/2006 - Present, Intro to Clinical Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center
    • 1/2004 - Present, Patient Orient Clin Res Method-2, The University of Texas Health Science Center
    • 1/2003 - Present, Post-Doctoral Student Supervision, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas
    • 1/2003 - Present, Post-Doctoral Student Supervision, Rheumatology Fellow, UTHSCSA
    • 1/2001 - Present, Rheumatology Clinic, University Health Center Downtown
    • 1/2001 - Present, Post-Doctoral Student Supervision, Postdoctoral research fellow, UTHSCSA
    • 1/2001 - Present, Rheumatology Consult Attending, Audie. L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital, San Antonio, Texas
    • 1/2000 - Present, Introduction to Clinical Medicine- "Systemic Lupus Eryhtematosus"
    • 1/2000 - Present, Introduction to Clinical Medicine - "Rheumatoid Arthritis"
    • 1/1999 - Present, Post-Doctoral Student Supervision, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas
    • 1/1994 - Present, Introductin to Physical Diagnosis
    • 2/1992 - Present, Rheumatology Consult Attending, University Hospital, San Antonio, Texas
    • 1/1992 - Present, Rheumatology Journal Club

  • Research & Grants

    Data analysis - Statistical analysis of clinical research data, with special interest in longitudinal data analysis. Expertise with Stata statistical analysis software.

    Diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic diseases - ABIM certification in rheumatology, nearly 30 years of experience in the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic diseases, with special interest in rheumatoid arthritis.

    Health Disparities - Epidemiology of rheumatic diseases and utilization of health services for arthritis in the U.S. Hispanic population

     

    Grants

    Federal

    Funding Agency NIH (NIAMS) Title The Safety and Effectiveness of the VaricElla zosteR VaccinE (VERVE) in Anti-TNF Users Status Active Period 3/2016 - 2/2018 Role Principal Investigator Grant Detail Clinical trial of the immunogenicity of the varicell-zoster vaccines (Zostavax) in patients with inflammatory arthritis who are receiving biologic therapy

  • Publications

      Abstract

      Arya R, Del Rincon I, Restrepo JF, Farook VS, Jenkinson CP, Duggirala R, Escalante A. Cumulative Association of Genetic Variants with Rheumatoid Joint Damage Progression in Mexican Americans and European Americans; 2015 Oct. (Arthritis & Rheumatism; vol. 67, no. 10 Su). Restrepo JF, Del Rincon I, Escalante A. Joint Damage Associated with Loss of Body Mass in Rheumatoid Arthritis; 2015 Oct. (Arthritis & Rheumatology; vol. 67, no. 10 Su). Restrepo JF, Del Rincon I, Battafarano DF, Molina E, Escalante A. Use of Hydroxychloroquine Associated with Improved Lipid Profile in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients; 2014 Oct. (Arthritis & Rheumatism; vol. 66, no. 10 Su). Arya R, Del Rincon I, Farook VS, Restrepo JF, Winnier, DA, Fourcadot MJ, Battafarano DF, Kumar S, de Almeida MAA, Curran JE, Jenkinson CP, Blangero J, Duggirala R, Escalante A. Genetic Variants Influencing Joint Damage in Mexican Americans and European Americans with Rheumatoid Arthritis; 2014 Oct. (Arthritis & Rheumatism; vol. 66, no. 10 Su). Molina, E, Restrepo, JF, Del Rincon I, Battafarano DF, Escalante A. Factors Associated with Recording of Rheumatoid Arthritis on Death Certificate; 2014 Oct. (Arthritis & Rheumatism; vol. 66, no. 10 Su). Molina E, Del Rincon I, Restrepo JF, Battafarano DF, Escalante A. Treatment Delays and Worse Outcomes Associated with Lower Socioeconomic Status in Rheumatoid Arthritis; 2014 Oct. (Arthritis & Rheumatism; vol. 66, no. 10 Su). Restrepo JF, del Rincon I, Zuniga-Montes LR, Pogosian S, Escalante A. Gene-environment interaction determines interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis; 2010 Oct. (Arthritis & Rheumatism; vol. 60, no. 10 Su).

      Journal Article

      Escalante A. Data on genetic associations of carotid atherosclerosis markers in Mexican American and European American rheumatoid arthritis subjects Data in Brief 2018 Feb;17:820-829. Arya R, Del Rincon I, Farook VS, Restrepo JF, Winnier DA, Fourcaudot MJ, Battafarano DF, Kumar S, de Almeida MAA, Curran JE, Jenkinson CP, Blangero J, Duggirala R, and Escalante A. Genetic Variants Influencing Joint Damage in Mexican Americans and European Americans with Rheumatoid Arthritis Genetic Epidemiology 2015 Dec;39(8):678-688. Molina E, Del Rincon I, Restrepo JF, Battafarano DF, Escalante A. Mortality in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): factors associated with recording RA on death certificates BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2015 Oct;16(277):1-6. Restrepo JF, Del Rincon I, Battafarano DF, Haas RW, Doria M, Escalante A. Clinical and Laboratory Factors Associated with Interstitial Lung Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Rheumatology 2015 Sep;34(9):1529-1536. Molina E, Del Rincon I, Restrepo JF, Battafarano DF, Escalante A. Association of socioeconomic status with treatment delays, disease activity, joint damage and disability in rheumatoid arthritis Arthritis Care & Research 2015 Jul;67(7):940-946. Del Rincon I, Polak JF, O`Leary DH, Battafarano DF, Erikson JM, Restrepo JF, Molina E, Escalante A. Systemic Inflammation and Cardiovascular Risk Factors Predict Rapid Progression of Atherosclerosis in Rheumatoid Arthritis Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2015 Jun;74(6):1118-1123. Molina E, Haas RW, Del Rincon I, Battafarano DF, Restrepo JF, Escalante A. Does the "Hispanic Paradox" apply to rheumatoid arthritis? Survival data from a multi-ethnic cohort Arthritis Care and Research 2014 Jul;66(7):972-979.

  • Clinical

    Board Certifications

    • American Board of Internal Medicine/Rheumatology
    • American Board of Internal Medicine