Dear friends,
The Annual Meeting in Istanbul is approaching and we're looking forward to meeting you there. During the business meeting in Istanbul, a decision will be made regarding the meeting in 2015. Bids have been received from Greece (Kos), Italy (Rome), and the Czech Republic (Prague). All of the above-mentioned countries have hosted the meeting before. In 1972, the meeting was held in Greece on the Island of Rhodes. Italy has hosted the Annual Meeting in Rome (1967), Milan (1981), Bologna (1995), and Venice (2008), and the Czech Republic held the meeting in Prague in 1989. Below you will find the Minutes from the Business meeting in Granada, as well as information regarding the World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery 2013.
Minutes of the Business Meeting Granada, May 26, 2011
Welcome address
President Shak Qureshi opened the meeting and thanked the organisers of the Annual Meeting in Granada, Dr Maria del Màr and Dr Ramon Bermudez-Canete for hosting and organising the very successful Annual Meeting. On behalf of Association for European Paediatric Cardiology (AEPC), Shak Qureshi expressed deep sympathies to the Japanese delegates regarding the earthquake and tsunami.
Minutes of last meeting
The minutes from the Business Meeting in Innsbruck 2010 were accepted.
Obituaries
Nico Blom commemorated Urs Bauersfield, who died in October, 2010, and Dr Martin Wuzemberg commemorated honorary member, Klaas K. Bossina, who died in May, 2010.
Report of the President
During the last year, President Qureshi has been involved in several activities, especially involving cooperation with other organisations. He has represented AEPC in European Society of Cardiology, including the programme committee, in European Union for Medical Specialists, where among other things a diploma in adult cardiology is being discussed, and he is a member of the American College of Cardiology Foundation, taking part in reviewing guidelines and other documents. He also participated in the Annual Meeting of Japanese Society for Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery 2010 and is optimistic regarding further collaboration with the Japanese Society. AEPC is an active partner in the preparations for World Congress 2013 in Cape Town and the President has been involved. He was also invited to the 7th Annual Meeting Multi-Societal Database Committee for Paediatric and Congenital Heart Disease which was held in Cambridge (September 2011) and further collaboration is suggested.
Report of the Secretary-General
Education and training continue to form the cornerstones of AEPC, and all input from the Working Groups and the members are appreciated. Cooperation and networking with other organisations are increasingly important. In addition to those mentioned above by President Shak Qureshi, AEPC collaborates with European Academy of Paediatrics, European Board for Accreditation in Cardiology, European Union for Medical Specialists, and several associations of paediatric cardiology in various countries (Egypt, Viet Nam, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria). The Egyptian Society of Cardiology wishes to establish closer collaboration with AEPC and the Council will explore the possibilities for affiliation of other associations. The new website has been running since September, 2010 but has not yet been integrated with the membership registry, and the new database will open in June, 2011. The new Working Group for Preventive Medicine will hold its first business meeting on Friday. Professor Jokinen summarised the continuing challenges of AEPC: Education and Training, cooperation within and outside Europe, keeping and developing the web services for the members, involving AEPC in matters regarding medical treatment and involving AEPC in transfer of patients into adult care. Professor Jokinen closed the presentation by expressing his warmest thanks to the members of the AEPC and the Council for friendly and fruitful cooperation during his term as Secretary-General of the AEPC and hoped that AEPC will continue to grow as an open-minded, friendly, and democratic organisation.
Report from scientific secretary
The Annual Meeting in Granada has been organised in collaboration with Dr Maria del Mar of Granada and Klaus Moldenhauer (handling the abstracts). A new feature is the possibility to present abstracts, handouts, and presentation on the webpage. In all, 60% of 703 abstracts from 48 countries were accepted; six presentations have been chosen for the Young Investigators Award session and two prizes will be given to the best European and Japanese presentations, respectively. The material from the update course in Interventions will be published in a supplement of Cardiology in the Young. Upcoming training courses, organised by AEPC Working Groups include Intensive care, Freiburg, October, 2011, Dysrhythmias, Prague, April, 2011, Fetal Cardiology, Warsaw, November, 2011, and Basic course of Echocardiography, April, 2012. The next Annual Meeting will be held in Istanbul, May 23–26, 2012, with the update course organised by the Fetal Working Group. The good collaboration with Cambridge Press regarding Cardiology in the Young is increasing, and mutual benefit is gained from support and common activities.
Report from treasurer
The financial situation for AEPC is stable and the yearly audit was passed last week. There is, however, a problem with a high rate of members paying the membership fee late. Only 60% of the members pay in due time. Membership fee is due January 31 and late payment will now be changed to March 31. Dr Jacek Bialkowski raised the question regarding reduced fee for members from countries with difficult economic status. The Council will reconsider the question.
Amendments of the constitution
A new name for the association has been proposed: “Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology” (“Association Européenne de Cardiologie Pédiatrique et Congenitale”). The new name is compatible with the abbreviation AEPC and covers the care for adolescents. The proposal was accepted by a majority (by a show of hands). The Council proposed an amendment to the Constitution: “When deemed appropriate by the AEPC Council, the Council will have the right, by majority vote, to co-opt additional members on to the Council to represent specific subspecialty groups (not already represented on the Council) for a maximum period of 3 years”. The proposal was accepted, by a show of hands. The Council also proposed that the Chairman of the Educational Committee be an ex-officio member of the Professional Advisory Committee. The proposal was accepted, by a show of hands.
News from the Working Groups
Cardiac Dysrhythmias and Electrophysiology
The teaching course in Prague April, 2011 was successful. The next teaching course is scheduled for 2013 in Amsterdam. The Working Group is working on a consensus document of treatment and investigation of dysrhythmias together with European Heart Rhythm Association. The Euripides registry is still open and members are asked to participate in the registry, including completing the yearly follow-up forms. The Working Group is planning a study of paediatric Brugada syndrome and sodium channelopathies. The study is now open and members are asked to participate in this study and to inform other centres in their countries to contribute with the aim of reviewing at least 30 children with Brugada syndrome. The Working Group together with other Working Groups propose to waive the congress fee for invited speakers, both members and non-members.
Fetal Cardiology
The Working Group has 111 members. The paper on retrospective collection of cases of isolated fetal complete heart block has been accepted by Circulation. The Working Group will support junior members by funding their attendance at the Annual Meeting in Istanbul 2012 to present scientific work. In Warsaw, Joanna Dangel will organise a Fetal Cardiology Course in November for trainees, which is also supported by the morphology Working Group. The Working Group will organise the Istanbul teaching course in 2012.
Basic Science and Genetics Working Group
The Working Group is a small group focusing on translation of basic science and genetics into clinical practice. A session featuring the right ventricle has been organised in Granada: “The Volume Loaded RV: from bench to bedside”. In line with the Educational Committee aims, requirements for knowledge of genetics and basic science will be produced. The issue of whether to organise a teaching course or offer modules to other teaching courses is so far unsettled. Session ideas for the next year include: (1) New developments in genetic testing/screening coupled with a session from bench to bedside in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; (2) first lecturer in session on specific disease, eg new knowledge about genes in developing atrioventricular-block on the session of atrioventricular block; (3) joint session with working group Psychosocial on counselling of genetic disease; and (4) try to expand the network to other societies with close relationships, eg basic science of European Society of Cardiology and obstetrics and gynaecology.
Paediatric Cardiac Intensive Care
The training recommendations for paediatric cardiac intensive care will be published in Cardiology in the Young, in addition to a logbook for trainees. Scientific events during the last year: Teaching course October, 2010 (Freiburg), Hemodynamic monitoring and echo workshop at European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care October, 2010 in (Copenhagen), Second European Conference on Neonatal and Paediatric Cardiac Intensive Care in collaboration with European Association of Cardiothoracic Surgeons and European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care May, 2011 (Montreux). Upcoming events involving the Working Group include: Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society Europe meeting – joint venture with Pediatric Intensive Care Society, United Kingdom – September 21–23, 2011 (Cambridge), collaboration in the programme of the European Association of Cardiothoracic Surgeons Annual Meeting, October 1–5, 2011 (Lisbon).
Cardiac imaging
A basic echo course will be arranged by Ornella Milanesi during spring 2011 and a course in Children's Medical Research Institute is planned for 2013. Guidelines for neonatal echocardiography have been produced in collaboration with American Society of Echocardiography and endorsed by the AEPC Council. Accreditation examinations for echocardiography are planned to take part once a year during EuroEcho. A document regarding recommendation for Children's Medical Research Institute in children with congenital and acquired heart disease is under final preparation. The Working Group suggests that the Council of AEPC decides to waive registration fee for invited speakers at the Annual Meetings.
Interventional Cardiology
The update course in Granada was successful with more than 280 participants. The Council was asked to give the profit to the Working Group intervention to invest in upcoming activities of the Working Group. The Working Group plans to organise one 90-minute meeting during the Annual Meeting in Istanbul 2012. An AEPC Interventional teaching course will be held in 2012, March 22–24 in Barcelona. The AEPC Working Group intervention asks the Council to abolish registration fees for invited speakers for AEPC Annual Meetings. Two young delegates/country have been offered free attendance at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions Fall Fellows course 2011. Also Horst Sievert has agreed to host 20 participants annually at the Congenital and Structural Interventions meeting in Frankfurt, without fees of the meeting.
Cardiovascular Morphology
Live sessions during Annual Meeting in Granada have been well attended. The Working Group supports teaching activities by the other Working Groups, eg imaging, intervention.
Congenital Heart Surgery
A successful meeting on “The right ventricle” was organised together with AEPC in Majorca, March, 2011. The Working Group participated in several sessions in Granada; “The volume loaded right ventricle”, “Complex LVOTO”, “D-TGA Controversies”, and “PA/VSD/MAPCAS”. The European Association of Cardiothoracic Surgeons meeting, from October 1 to 5 in Lisbon will include sessions dedicated to Fontan, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and ventricular assist device.
Psychosocial care from the foetus to adult
The Biennial Working Group Meeting was held in Balaton, Hungary, March, 2011. The next meeting of the Psychosocial Working Group will be held in Cologne in 2013. The Working Group proposes that humanitarian activities involving AEPC will be documented. Ulrike Salzer Muhar and Lena Eschenbach have created a questionnaire, which will be reviewed by the AEPC Council. The Young Investigator award for 2011 has been awarded to Mila Markova from Sofia, Bulgaria. The Psychosocial Working Group has initiated a scholarship for a professional of any discipline who wishes to increase expertise in the area of psychosocial care by completing a period of training in a large centre. The Working Group plans to write a guideline paper outlining the key elements of psychosocial care.
Grown-Up Congenital Heart Disease Task Force
The Task Force has close collaboration with European Society of Cardiology Working Group for congenital heart disease and several activities within AEPC and European Society of Cardiology are arranged in cooperation.
Coding committee
The principle goal of the Coding Committee is to provide a globally applicable system for paediatric and congenital heart disease, with the ability to code scientifically accurate phenotypes and state-of-the-art procedures irrespective of the language or related discipline involved. The process of validation of the mapping between two versions of the International Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Code Long Lists continues. The Short List (April, 2008) continues to be used for national quality control, as well as by individual institutions. The European Paediatric Cardiac Code Short List is available for download on the AEPC webpage and the AEPC copyright statement has been incorporated as requested last year. Cooperation between the International Society for Nomenclature of Paediatric Congenital Heart Disease and the International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation continues with work to create a specific congenital cardiac reference subset. The Multi-societal Database Committee for Paediatric and Congenital Heart Disease as a subcommittee of The Global Organization for Paediatric and Congenital Heart Disease has initially focussed on peri- and post-procedural complications. The group has now turned its focus to outcomes analysis and quality improvement. The 7th Annual Meeting is scheduled for September 20–21 as a part of the Paediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society and Paediatric Intensive Care Society UK Joint Conference entitled “The relationship between Outcomes Analysis, Quality Improvement, and Patient Safety”.
Junior members
The junior members group acknowledge with satisfaction that the numbers of junior members are increasing. Almost all Working Groups now have junior representation in their Councils. Production and attendance of basic and advanced training courses are encouraged.
Educational committee
A preliminary version of Training recommendations and guidelines for training was created at the meeting in Barcelona this spring. Working Groups are encouraged to produce recommendations and send to European commission, who will publish them on the webpage. Rules for AEPC involvement in different kinds of educational activities are also updated.
Report from the Professional Advisory Committee and National delegates meeting
The meeting with the National Delegates was held on May 17 with delegates from 10 countries. The National Delegates elect members to the Professional Advisory Committee, and the following changes were decided: Dr Ornella Milanese replaced Dr Kawalec, Dr Fatima Pinto was re-elected, Dr Rob Martin replaced Dr Stein, Dr Jochen Weil, Dr Daniel Holmgren, Dr Jose Luis Zunzunegui replaced Dr Pfammatter. Dr Andràs Szatmari participates in the Professional Advisory Committee as the Chairman of the Educational Committee and Dr Katarina Hanseus (ex-officio as the Secretary-General) replaced Professor Eero Jokinen. The following issues were discussed during the meetings of the National Delegates and Professional Advisory Committees: (1) Training in paediatric cardiology in Europe. An informal survey regarding training shows that Europe has a long way to establish harmonised training recommendations. (2) Grown-Up Congenital Heart Disease care: The national delegates agree that collaboration between paediatric and adult cardiology is important in order to secure good care in adulthood for our patients. (3) The role of AEPC in the public discussions. AEPC may act via the national/local societies in order to influence health issues on a political level. Cooperation with national societies, including parents' associations, professional organisations, is encouraged. A survey about social benefits compensations for families with children with heart disease was suggested. (4) A list of members not paying by the end of the year will be sent to the National Delegates who are asked to encourage members in their country to pay.
Introduction of new members
In all, 116 new members – 57 ordinary, 59 junior members – representing almost all European countries were welcomed. A list of the new members has been sent previously to the AEPC members, and all applications were accepted.
Replacement of council members
Professor André Bozio stepped down as Past President and thanked the AEPC members and the Council for good work and friendship. The Council thanked Professor Bozio for all his work for AEPC including promoting international contacts. Professor Eero Jokinen stepped down as Secretary-General and thanked the AEPC members and the Council for good and fruitful cooperation. The Council thanked Eero for excellent achievements. Professor Jokinen was replaced by Dr Katarina Hanseus. Sylvie di Filippo was elected as a new Councillor
Future meetings
The Annual Meeting 2012 will be held in Istanbul (May 23–26). In 2013, the meeting will be held in London and Helsinki will host the Annual Meeting 2014. The 6th World Congress Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery will be held in Cape Town in 2013.
Other businesses
Dr Ingrid Oberhänsli on behalf of the members thanked the Council members, Klaus Moldenhauer and Julia Schmitz-Leuffen for their work for AEPC.
The President ended the meeting at 20.00 pm.
6th World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, February 17–22, 2012
The 6th World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in February, 2013. This will be the biggest and most important event in children's heart health and disease ever. AEPC supports the World Congress and continues to collaborate in the development of the scientific and academic programme.
The 6th World Congress will build on the foundation established through previous World Congresses from Paris in 1993, through Cairns, Australia, in 2009. The best international faculty available promises an exceptional scientific programme across the different disciplines, from interventions, procedures, and operations through critical care. However, the limitations to developing cardiac care in the presence of financial, managerial, and human resource constraints are problems shared between colleagues from both well-developed and less well-resourced countries. Science alone will not meet these challenges, and public policy developers, health system managers, health economists, and planners will engage with the health systems solutions necessary to initiate, develop, and improve cardiac care for children and adults. There are five “tracks” for delegates to follow at the Congress. Parallel sessions mean you can switch across tracks as you please. All scientific sessions at this Congress are open to every delegate, that is, you are not hostage to any of the five tracks on any day or at any time. The “tracks” are as follows:
• Cardiology and the Imaging Revolution
• Catheter Interventions from Foetus to Adult
• Health Systems and Heart Disease
• Surgery and Intensive Care
• Adults Congenital Heart Disease
Registration (take advantage of super early bird discounts) and the call for abstracts (deadline July 31, 2012) are now open. Cape Town is a sublime and compelling African destination. We look forward to welcoming our colleagues from the AEPC to our city and our country.
For more information, visit www.pccs2013.co.za
Shak Qureshi Katarina Hanseús
President Secretary-General
