EAS Newsletter October 15, 2024

Society:

EAS Executive Committee meeting: shaping the future together

Yesterday, the EAS Executive Committee held its first meeting with our newly elected members, marking the beginning of an exciting journey. Together, we discussed the future strategy that YOU voted for in the recent EAS Elections. This collaborative effort will drive us forward as we align on priorities and initiatives to strengthen our organization.

Stay tuned for updates as we continue working to implement the vision you helped shape, and let’s move EAS forward together!

Publications:

Debunking the myth: familial hypercholesterolaemia does not protect against diabetes

The FHSC Investigators, led by the FHSC Coordinating Centre at Imperial College London, are pleased to share their article titled: Association of BMI, lipid-lowering medication, and age with prevalence of type 2 diabetes in adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia: a worldwide cross-sectional study that was published this month in Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.

This study dispels the misconception that familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), a genetic defect in cholesterol uptake, protects against type 2 diabetes. FH leads to a deficiency in LDL receptors, limiting cholesterol uptake in tissues like the pancreas, which was thought to prevent pancreatic lipotoxicity—a contributing factor to diabetes.

However, our global study of approximately 24,000 adults with FH, found a diabetes prevalence of 5.7%, closely aligning with general population rates reported by the Global Burden of Disease (6.1%) and International Diabetes Federation (4.6%). Further, most world regions had a higher diabetes prevalence than Europe (Figure 1). These findings challenge the idea that FH protects against diabetes, and suggest that the low diabetes rates reported in Western FH cohorts may largely reflect careful lifestyle management.

Figure 1. Prevalence of diabetes in patients with FH globally and by world region, stratified by weight categories and receipt of lipid-lowering medication (including statins).

Our research also indicated that, while statins—the standard lipid-lowering medication in FH—are linked to  higher probability of diabetes, the absolute risk of developing diabetes is greater in those with obesity, at all ages, and independent of medication (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Predicted probability of having type 2 diabetes patients with FH as a function of age, presence of obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m2) and use of statins, adjusted for sex

Take-home message

Given that advancing age and statin therapy are common factors contributing to diabetes risk in patients with FH, addressing obesity as a key modifiable risk factor is crucial for reducing diabetes risk in these patients. Our study underscores the importance of weight management in improving health outcomes for FH patients.

Congress:

Don’t forget to submit your abstract and apply for Young Investigator Fellowships & Travel Grants!

Young Investigator Fellowships

EAS Congress programme provides younger, upcoming researchers a prestigious platform from which to launch or progress their international careers. A strong contingent of senior scientists is engaged to interact with and mentor the next generation, in the popular and well attended Science at a Glance sessions. This interaction will be a source of great inspiration and encouragement, and will ultimately strengthen research in the field.

As a measure of the Society’s commitment to encourage the leading lights of the future, EAS offers Young Investigator Fellowships to selected abstract and oral communication presenters aged 35 or under, on a competitive basis.

All applicants must fulfill the requirements and restrictions of travel. Young Investigator Fellowships for EAS Congress include:

• Complimentary Congress registration
• Complimentary 1-year EAS membership subscription
• A grant of 400 € towards travel & accommodation at the EAS Congress

Application procedures for EAS Congress:

• Application for Young Investigator Fellowship is a member benefit. To be eligible to apply for a grant, please make sure your individual membership is up to date.
• Applicants must review and understand all of the requirements and restrictions for travel (see bottom of page)
• Applicants MUST complete an application form through the congress abstract system
• Applicants MUST have submitted an abstract for presentation at EAS Congress
• Applicants MUST be 35 or under on May 31, the year of application
• The award of the Fellowships is at the discretion of the organisers
• Notifications will be sent out by February the year of the congress.

If you have reviewed and understand all of the requirements and wish to proceed with an application, please do so by completing the application when submitting your abstract.

Travel Grants to EAS Congress

These grants are awarded to selected presenters of poster or oral communications who live and work in countries where funding for international meetings is difficult to obtain.

All applicants must fulfill the requirements and restrictions of travel. The Grants are awarded at the discretion of the organisers.

The grants cover:

• Complimentary Congress registration
• Complimentary 1-year EAS membership subscription
• A grant of 400 € towards travel & accommodation at the EAS Congress

Collaborations:

The 13th International Congress on Lipid & Atherosclerosis (ICoLA 2024) with EAS-KSoLA Joint Symposium, September 26-28, 2024

The 13th International Congress on Lipid & Atherosclerosis (ICoLA 2024), held from September 26-28, 2024, featured a series of impactful sessions, including the EAS-KSoLA Joint Symposium, where leading experts from the European Atherosclerosis Society and the Korean Society of Lipidology and Atherosclerosis shared their latest insights.

Prof. Giuseppe Danilo Norata captivated the audience with his presentation on “Gene editing for dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis”, while Prof. Alberico Catapano followed with his thought-provoking talk titled “LDL burden: a fresh look at cardiovascular prevention.”

Both talks underscored the evolving landscape of lipid management and cardiovascular prevention, inspiring attendees to consider future approaches to combating cardiovascular disease. ICoLA once again proved to be a dynamic platform for exchanging pioneering research and clinical strategies to address some of the most pressing issues in lipidology and atherosclerosis.

Collaborations:

Prof. Evangelos Liberopoulos presented at the 35th Annual Conference of the Saudi Heart Association, October 10-12, 2024

We are proud to announce that Prof. Evangelos Liberopoulos contributed to the 35th Annual Conference of the Saudi Heart Association, delivering two insightful talks in the session on Emerging Risk Factors.

His first presentation, “So, your patient’s LDL is high: when to suspect FH & how to screen patients?,” offered guidance on identifying familial hypercholesterolemia and screening protocols.

In his second talk, “The emergence of Lp(a) and ApoB: is it a farewell to the LDL Era?” Prof. Liberopoulos explored the evolving role of lipoproteins in cardiovascular risk management.

Publications:

Recent issue highlights – August 2024

It is increasingly recognized that life style and environmental factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by modulating classical risk factors such as dyslipidemia and hypertension and independently thereof. The August volume of Atherosclerosis contains several articles addressing these aspects.

Education:

Our Certificate in Lipidology for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals now includes German and Italian subtitles!

We are excited to announce that our Certificate in Lipidology for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals now includes German and Italian subtitles!

This enhancement ensures that healthcare professionals from diverse linguistic backgrounds can access and benefit from our comprehensive program. By providing these subtitles, we aim to improve understanding and engagement, making vital information about lipidology more accessible to a broader audience.

Enroll today and take a significant step forward in your professional development!

Society:

EAS Calendar – October-November 2024

From insightful webinars to groundbreaking announcements, this section is your gateway to staying connected and up-to-date with the latest developments within the EAS Society.

October 1 – December 3, Abstract submission for the EAS Congress 2025

October 17, A:CARE by Abbott

October 23-25, AAS Annual Scientific Meeting

November 7-10, 40th National Congress of the Turkish Society of Cardiology