The Annual Meeting of the European Society for Cardiology, 2005, to be held in Stockholm

A very crowded but challenging scientific programme attracted thousands of European cardiologists to Stockholm for the period 2nd to 7th September. For paediatric cardiologists, the greatest interest was generated by the pre-arranged symposiums dealing with problems in older patients who suffer from congenital cardiac malformations, either treated through surgical interventions during their earlier years or still untreated. Working Group 22 of the European Society had taken great efforts to organize this stimulating meeting in co-operation with our Association. The Association itself maintained a special booth throughout the period of the congress, emphasising the paediatric aspects of cardiology, and showing children copying the medical acts of their caring doctors. Members of the society participated actively in scientific sessions. Several other sessions, organized by the adult cardiologists, were of interest to the paediatric cardiologists. Particularly stimulating were the challenging FOCUS and HOT LINE sessions. All being well, more details of the meeting will be provided in a subsequent Newsletter.

News from the World Congress in Paediatric Cardiology and Paediatric Cardiovascular Surgery

A most challenging, well prepared, and stimulating meeting attracted thousands of participants from all over the World to Buenos Aires for the World Congress, which took place between the 18th and 22nd of September. Pre-arranged sessions provided much opportunity to discuss interesting new developments and achievements. Of special interest were the sessions in post-surgical intensive care and interventions. As with the European congress, our Association participated actively in the meeting, having taken responsibility for two pre-arranged sessions, and co-organised a session together with the Society for Paediatric Cardiovascular Surgery. Members of our society, and some of our working groups, had submitted separately abstract sessions, which were much appreciated by those attending the symposium. The pre-arranged sessions were of very high scientific content, well presented, and attracted many participants.

We are sure that pertinent details from the Congress will appear in future issues of the Journal.

News from the Council of the Association for European Paediatric Cardiology

The Council had carefully prepared several important documents, which had been sent to all members of the Association, and are also now published on our new Website under the section “Important documents”. These documents were presented to the Association during the business meeting in Copenhagen, held on May 21st, and discussed by the Secretary-General.

• There were questions and discussions concerning the amended Constitution concerning the length of tenure for the President, which was now prolonged for one year as a consequence of the President becoming the “past-president”; and also the election of a “General-Secretary-elect”. The amended Constitution was accepted by a majority of the members present. The Association will, in the future, have only “Ordinary”, “Junior”, “Senior”, and “Honorary” members. Paediatric Cardiologists from outside Europe can apply for ordinary membership if proposed by two members of the Association. New application forms, and instructions for application, have been placed on the new Website <www.aepc.org>. The on-line system for application is now functioning.
• The amended “Requirements for Training in General Paediatric Cardiology”, as well as the “Requirements for Training Institutions” were accepted without important discussion. These documents will be published in this issue of the journal and they can be found on the new Website under the special section “Constitution, Committees”, and under “Meetings, Training, Education and Jobs”, respectively.
• As Eero Jokinen was elected as the new Secretary-General-elect, Luc Mertens from Leuven, Belgium, was elected as a new Councillor, and was welcomed to the Council.
• The Secretary-General reported briefly news from the European Union for Medical Specialists. She advised all members to read carefully the very important document “The directives on the recognition of professional qualification”, which is available on the website of European Union for Medical Specialists <UEMS.cardio@hjerte.org> in document N0507, which was accepted and issued by the European Parliament on June 7th.
• The issue of accreditation of meetings, courses, articles and other training facilities was briefly discussed. The Secretary-General reminded all members who organise courses with international participation of great importance to apply for credits for continuing medical education through the European Board for Accreditation in Cardiology. Detailed instructions are published on the website, and can be reached through a special link in the new Website.
• The President reported briefly on news from his activities in the European Society for Cardiology. He commented also on the importance of providing a European Examination in General Paediatric Cardiology, and a European Certificate for our speciality in the very near future. As yet, there are no legal implications and consequences for this development, but success in such an examination is already considered desirable for the purposes of nominations and applications for leading positions.
• Following the agreement with the publisher, Cambridge University Press, all members of the Association should have received the first issue of Cardiology in the Young for 2005, published in February. Only members who have paid their annual dues, however, will have received subsequent issues of the current volume of the Journal. The Council, therefore, invited all members to settle rapidly their annual dues, using the special form published on the new website www.aepc.org under the section “Membership Information”, the document itself being entitled “Annual Subscription”.
• The Secretary-General takes the liberty of using this newsletter to invite all paediatric cardiologists in Europe, and those members of allied professions, who are not yet members of the Association to become members of the society. The application forms can be found on the Web site of the association www.aepc.org. They will also be published biannually in future issues of the journal, starting in February. Those who wonder whether it is advantageous to become a member of the Association should note that, in addition to the favourable subscription fee to “Cardiology in the Young”, members can join working groups of the Association of their own choice. Members will also be admitted to the annual meeting at a significantly reduced registration fee, as well as taking advantage of the opportunity to participate in the excellent and much appreciated annual teaching course held the day before the annual meeting, again at a special registration fee. In addition, the annual meeting provides scientific and social contacts, offering stimulating discussions and the chance to make and renew friendships. The Association is still a family, a feature which can be overlooked, and not a huge assembly like the annual meetings of the American Heart Association or the European Society for Cardiology. The annual membership fee is extremely low considering all the advantages detailed above, and should be considered a worthwhile investment by those involved with the various professions surrounding Paediatric Cardiology. The bigger our Association becomes, and the more varied its professional membership, the more political and professional strength it will have, and the more it can and will influence political and professional bodies to take care of its specific needs. All the issues discussed above, however, have necessitated some changes in our constitution, and the new constitution is published immediately following this Newsletter. Application to join the Association has become more accessible and easier. Those seeking to join, therefore, should consult our new Website at <www.aepc.org>.
• In accordance with the new constitution, some councillors will now be replaced each year. All members of the Association, therefore, are invited to provide the council with their suggestions and to use their right to propose new councillors and officers. If any member has doubts about the procedure, he or she is welcome to write to the secretary-general for further information. In 2006, two councillors will need to be replaced. In addition, we will seek nominations for the position of president-elect. We ask you, the members, for suggestions and nominations!

News from the Working Groups

More recently, those working in the field of paediatric cardiology have experienced further important developments and substantial diversification in the care for patients. Spectacular advances in the immediate postoperative treatment have occurred. These changes have favoured the development of new sub-specialties both for Paediatric Cardiology and for Paediatrics, and have resulted in the creation within the Association of a Working Group for “Paediatric Cardiovascular Intensive Care and Paediatric Cardiovascular Anaesthesia”. This new working group has had its constitutional session in Copenhagen. The members of the board of are listed on the Website of the Association under the section “Constitution, Committees and Working Groups”. Colleagues interested in this sub-specialty should contact Eduardo Da Cruz, at the Paediatric Cardiology Unit of the “Hôpital Cantonal Universitaire de Geneve”, in Geneva.

The working group “Imaging” was again invited to collaborate with the new Association for Echocardiography within the European Society for Cardiology in organizing the Euro-Echo meeting in Florence, to be held between the 7th and 10th of December, 2005. Colleagues interested in this meeting will find detailed information on the web site of European Society for Cardiology: www.escardio.org or by contacting congress@escardio.org.

For adult cardiologists, a European examination for imaging will again be held in Florence. Our own Association will create its own “European examination”. Council feels strongly that the needs in paediatric cardiology are substantially different from those in adult cardiology. The responsibilities for a correct and conclusive investigation are much more important, and also have legal consequences, so that only fully trained paediatric cardiologists should investigate fetuses, children, and adolescents with congenital cardiac malformations. Adult cardiologists caring for adults with congenital cardiac malformations should be specially trained, and should ideally have served and been trained in a unit dealing specifically with paediatric cardiology. It is under discussion currently whether a European examination should and could include both groups.

The working group for Imaging will provide the special teaching course to be held during the annual meeting in Basel for 2006. Members are invited to participate in this course for a minor special registration fee.

Recommendations have so far been published in “Cardiology in the Young” for fetal investigation; for an ideal catheterization laboratory, and recently for training in paediatric echocardiography.¹ Recommendations for training in paediatric cardiac magnetic resonance imaging are in preparation.

The council is looking forward to receiving further recommendations from the working groups in intervention and dysrhythmia for publication in the journal over the course of 2006.

The working group for Interventional Cardiology has prepared a “Cook Book”, which hopefully will have been presented during the World Congress in Argentina. The contents of the “cook book” will become available on the Website of the Association <www.aepc.org>.

The working group for Fetal Cardiology has proposed an interesting Website for their own specific needs. We are currently investigating whether we should host the separate site directly in the main website, or provide a special link to the fetal website. A special registry for complete atrioventricular dissociation as seen in the fetus has been initiated by Helena Gardiner, who has already presented some of the results. Further contributions are welcome. More information is available on the Website <www.aepc.org> under the section “Constitution, Committees and Working Groups”.

The following training courses were announced:

• “Hands-on in Fetal echo” 10–11 November, 2005 in London, organized by Helena Gardiner.
• “Doppler Ultrasound in the Fetal Examination” to be held in Oberlech, Austria, 19–24 March, 2006, organized by Gerald Tulzer, with the specific web page www.kinderherzzentrum.at/Lech 2006.

Future Meetings

The Annual Meeting of the Association for 2006 will be held in Basel between the 21st and 24th of May, 2006. Abstracts should be submitted only in electronic format, and not later than 8th January. All information can be found on special files of the website <www.aepc.org>.

“The Annual Meeting for 2007” will be organized by the Polish Paediatric Cardiology Group, and will take place in Warsaw from 16th to 18th May, 2007. The venues for the Annual Meetings for 2008 and 2009 are still under discussion, but a decision will soon be taken as to their sites. The World Congress for Paediatric Cardiology and Paediatric Cardiovascular Surgery for 2009 will take place in Cairns, Australia, and will be held in June of that year.

News from Cardiology in the Young

Cardiology in the Young would be delighted to publish in brief format details of all relevant meetings and training courses, providing necessary information and Internet connections for those wishing to register for such courses. Organisers wishing to have their meetings advertised in this fashion should send the necessary information either to the Secretary-General, or to the personal assistant of the editor in chief, Felicity Gil <f.gil@ich.ucl.ac.uk>. The Secretary-General also invites all members of the Association to provide her with up-to-date details of their e-mail and mail address, along with their telephone and fax-number. Members should not forget to send this up-date information, since it is in their own proper interests. Future mailings will only be done through e-mail!

In closing, we hope you have had a wonderful summer with relaxing holidays and we wish you an interesting and challenging new academic year.