From 10 to 12 December 2020, the Congress of Pediatric Cardiology was held online. The event is traditionally held every two years and is a major national event bringing together pediatric cardiologists, pediatricians, cardiac surgeons, functional testing specialists, representatives of academic and research institutions, healthcare officials and policymakers seeking to bring better specialized medical care for children with heart disease, improve diagnosis and treatment of CVD in children.
The organizers of the Congress were the Russian Ministry of Health, the Russian Association of Pediatric Cardiologists, the International Medical Cluster Foundation, Veltischev Research and Clinical Institute of Pediatrics.
The Congress focused on infectious cardiovascular diseases, including in coronavirus infection. For the first time, the Russian specialists, together with foreign colleagues, were able to summarize and analyze the world experience in the treatment and rehabilitation of children with coronavirus infection.
Traditionally, the Congress featured lectures, webinars and master classes by leading Russian and foreign experts on the topical scientific and practical issues of pediatric cardiology. The congress was attended by heads of national cardiology and cardiac surgery services, as well as Dr. Cetta Frank (USA), Dr. Jane Burns (USA) and other world experts.
Specialists from Almazov Centre took an active part in the event.
One of the sessions was devoted to cardiomyopathy in children. Chief Researcher of the Research Department for Cardiovascular Diseases in Children, pediatrician and pediatric cardiologist Elena Vasichkina gave a presentation on the topic “Combination of myocarditis and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy: clinical cases.”.
Besides other topics, the focus was on inflammatory myocardial diseases in children. The participants expressed the view that the causes of inflammatory myocardial damage can be very different, ranging from the spread of infection into tissues to severe allergic reactions and intoxication. As the discussion continued, Dr. Vasichkina gave a presentation “Etiology and clinical phenotypes of myocarditis.”
Specialists of Almazov Centre held two webinars devoted to the issues of congenital cardiac anomalies in the fetus, Fetal and Neonatal Heart. This session featured two presentations by the doctors of Almazov Centre: «The role of 3D printing in the optimization of surgical treatment» by pediatric cardiologist, cardiac surgeon I.I. Averkin and «Evaluation of fetal cardiac function after intrauterine procedures for FFTS in monochorionic twins» by obstetrician-gynecologist, fetal surgeon V. I. Tsibizova.
A particular focus was given to the session «Sudden cardiac death – causes and prevention». Leading experts from Russia and abroad discussed a wide range of issues related to the early detection of risk signs and prevention of sudden death: cardiac arrhythmias and their surgical treatment, new technologies in cardiology and arrhythmology. At this session, Junior Researcher of the Pediatric Arrhythmology Research Laboratory, pediatrician, pediatric cardiologist T.S. Kovalchuk gave a presentation “Extremely long QT, functional AV block. Interpretation errors. How to avoid pacing?”
At the session «Abbott technologies in the treatment of pediatric patients» P.A. Fedotov gave a presentation “Innovative possibilities of mechanical circulatory support in children.”
The session “Interventional and surgical treatment for cardiac arrhythmias in children” also featured presentations by the specialists of Almazov Centre: “ICD therapy in children with SCD” (D.S. Lebedev) and “Biochemical markers of myocardial damage in children and adolescents in catheter ablation of arrhythmias” (R.B. Tatarsky).
Despite the difficult epidemiological situation, the online format expanded the reach of the event because doctors from the most remote regions of Russia and specialists from around the world could attend.
On the second day of the Congress, the Russian Association of Pediatric Cardiologists held its meeting where Dr. Elena Vasichkina was elected by a majority vote as Vice President of the Association.