Laura E. Ichikawa, MS
"KPWHRI provides a great opportunity to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and provide biostatistical support to improve patient health."
Laura E. Ichikawa, MS
Principal Collaborative Biostatistician, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
Biography
With more than 25 years at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI), Laura Ichikawa, MS, is known for her analytical skills, attention to detail regarding study design and data management, and expertise in data visualization. Her experience includes observational studies, randomized controlled trials, case-control studies, and multisite analyses.
Laura is primarily focused on cancer research and women’s health. She’s involved in 2 large, multisite National Cancer Institute-funded projects: the Statistical Coordinating Center for the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) and a colorectal research site for Population-based Research to Optimize the Screening Process (PROSPR). Much of her work with the BCSC has been evaluating mammography performance for both screening and surveillance while also examining use of screening MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and ultrasound. Laura also participated in collaborative research through the Cancer Research Network, including a widely publicized 2004 study that linked not having screening mammograms to late-stage breast cancer. She is excited to continue her work in cancer research, including in screening, treatment, surveillance, and survival.
Laura’s earlier research with retired KPWHRI Senior Investigator Delia Scholes, PhD, included studies examining bone loss associated with the injectable hormonal contraceptive Depo-Provera in 2002 and 2005 and oral contraceptives in 2011.
Laura is a member of the American Statistical Association and its Puget Sound chapter.
Research interests and experience
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Biostatistics
Longitudinal data analysis
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Cancer
Biostatistics; breast cancer
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Women's Health
Biostatistics; hormonal contraception and bone density
Recent publications
Pocobelli G, Ichikawa L, Yu O, Green BB, Meyers K, Gray R, Shea M, Chubak J. Validation of international classification of diseases, tenth revision, clinical modification diagnosis codes for heart failure subtypes. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2022 Jun 7. doi: 10.1002/pds.5489. Online ahead of print. PubMed
Reed SD, Zhou X, Ichikawa L, Gatz JL, Peipert JF, Armstrong MA, Raine-Bennett T, Getahun D, Fassett MJ, Postlethwaite DA, Shi JM, Asiimwe A, Pisa F, Schoendorf J, Saltus CW, Anthony MS, On behalf of the APEX-IUD Study Team. Intrauterine device-related uterine perforation incidence and risk (APEX-IUD): a large multisite cohort study. Lancet. 2022 Jun 4;399(10341):2103-2112. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00015-0. PubMed
Gatz JL, Armstrong MA, Postlethwaite D, Raine-Bennett T, Chillemi G, Alabaster A, Merchant M, Reed SD, Ichikawa L, Getahun D, Fassett MJ, Shi JM, Xie F, Chiu VY, Im TM, Takhar HS, Wang J, Saltus CW, Ritchey ME, Asiimwe A, Pisa F, Schoendorf J, Wahdan Y, Zhou X, Hunter S, Anthony MS, Peipert JF. Association between intrauterine device type and risk of perforation and device expulsion: results from the Association of Perforation and Expulsion of Intrauterine Device study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2022 Jul;227(1):57.e1-57.e13. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.03.062. Epub 2022 Apr 5. PubMed
Getahun D, Fassett MJ, Gatz J, Armstrong MA, Peipert JF, Raine-Bennett T, Reed SD, Zhou X, Schoendorf J, Postlethwaite D, Shi JM, Saltus CW, Wang J, Xie F, Chiu V, Merchant M, Alabaster A, Ichikawa L, Hunger S, Im TM, Takhar HS, Ritchey ME, Chillemi G, Pisa F, Asiimwe A, Anthony MS. Association between menorrhagia and risk of intrauterine device-related uterine perforation and device expulsion: results from the Association of Uterine Perforation and Expulsion of Intrauterine Device study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2022 Jul;227(1):59.e1-59.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.03.025. Epub 2022 Mar 12. PubMed
Armstrong MA, Raine-Bennett T, Reed SD, Gatz J, Getahun D, Schoendorf J, Postlethwaite D, Fassett MJ, Peipert JF, Saltus CW, Merchant M, Alabaster A, Zhou X, Ichikawa L, Shi JM, Chiu VY, Xie F, Hunter S, Wang J, Ritchey ME, Chillemi G, Im TM, Takhar HS, Pisa F, Asiimwe A, Anthony MS. Association of the timing of postpartum intrauterine device insertion and breastfeeding with risks of intrauterine device expulsion. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(2):e2148474. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.48474. PubMed
Lee JM, Ichikawa LE, Wernli KJ, Bowles E, Specht JM, Kerlikowske K, Miglioretti DL, Lowry KP, Tosteson ANA, Stout NK, Houssami N, Onega T, Buist DSM. Digital mammography and breast tomosynthesis performance in women with a personal history of breast cancer, 2007-2016. Radiology. 2021 Aug;300(2):290-300. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2021204581. Epub 2021 May 18. PubMed
Anthony MS, Reed SD, Armstrong MA, Getahun D, Gatz JL, Saltus CW, Zhou X, Schoendorf J, Postlethwaite DA, Raine-Bennett T, Fassett MJ, Peipert JF, Ritchey ME, Ichikawa LE, Lynen R, Alabaster AL, Merchant M, Chiu VY, Shi JM, Xie F, Hui SL, Wang J, Hunter S, Bartsch J, Frenz AK, Chillemi G, Im TM, Takhar HS, Asiimwe A. Design of the association of uterine perforation and expulsion of IUD (APEX-IUD) study: a multisite retrospective cohort study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Jun;224(6):599.e1-599.e18. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.01.003. Epub 2021 Jan 15. PubMed
D Sullivan M, Boudreau D, Ichikawa L, Cronkite D, Albertson-Junkans L, Salgado G, VonKorff M, Carrell DS. Primary care opioid taper plans are associated with sustained opioid dose reduction. J Gen Intern Med. 2020 Mar;35(3):687-695. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05445-1. Epub 2020 Jan 6. PubMed
Henderson LM, Ichikawa L, Buist DSM, Lee JM, Bush M, Johnson D, Onega T, Nekhlyudov L, Kerlikowske K, Miglioretti DL, Sprague BL, Wernli KJ. Patterns of breast imaging use among women with a personal history of breast cancer. J Gen Intern Med. 2019 Oct;34(10):2098-2106. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05181-6. PubMed
Anthony MS, Armstrong MA, Getahun D, Scholes D, Gatz J, Schulze-Rath R, Postlethwaite D, Merchant M, Alabaster AL, Chillemi G, Raine-Bennett T, Xie F, Chiu VY, Im TM, Takhar HS, Fassett M, Grafton J, Cronkite D, Ichikawa L, Reed SD, Hui SL, Ritchey ME, Saltus CW, Andrews EB, Rothman KJ, Asiimwe A, Lynen R, Schoendorf J. Identification and validation of uterine perforation, intrauterine device expulsion, and breastfeeding in four health care systems with electronic health records. Clin Epidemiol. 2019 Jul 23;11:635-643. doi: 10.2147/CLEP.S201044. eCollection 2019. PubMed
Research
IUD perforation: Rare but important to know about
New study results in more precise language in the federally mandated warning about this possibility.
cancer research
Using breast MRI after cancer may lead to unneeded biopsies
A Kaiser Permanente-led BCSC study is among the largest ever to evaluate adding MRI surveillance for breast cancer survivors.
cancer screening
No need to follow up simple ovarian cysts
New KPWHRI study shows that women with simple cysts are not at increased risk of ovarian cancer.
aging & geriatrics
Study finds various treatments can reduce vaginal discomfort from sex
Dr. Katherine Newton co-wrote JAMA Internal Medicine paper comparing vaginal estrogen, moisturizer, and placebo gel.
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