The Heart Valve Society meeting
An international heart team- leaders in evaluation, management and research.

HVS Scientific Meeting, March 17-19th 2016
Marriott Marquis, NY

In 2001, the Heart Valve Society of America was created by a group of nationally and internationally recognized American experts. Their purpose was to advance the knowledge of heart valve disease -- a growing public health problem -- through education, information and research. In 2009, they joined with the European counterpart -- the Society for Heart Valve Disease (SHVD) with efforts in research, conferences and training. In 2014, these two societies were succeeded by the new international Heart Valve Society (HVS) -- which was created in collaboration with non-HVSA valve experts from Europe and elsewhere. The inaugural conference was held in Monaco in 2014, followed by the 2015 conference in New York.

The Heart Valve society is aimed at promoting prevention, treatment and management of heart valve diseases in the US, Europe and throughout the world. Although degenerative mitral and aortic disease has a large burden of disease in high-income countries, this is eclipsed by the dramatic burden of rheumatic valvular disease in low- and middle-income countries. It was thus fitting and of great interest that rheumatic heart disease (RHD) featured in this years conference, especially as the theme for this year’s event was the Heart Team in Action. It is clear that eradicating rheumatic heart valve disease requires a team approach combining physicians, policy makers and the public and is best accomplished through comprehensive, multidisciplinary prevention and control programmes.

There were three events relating to RHD at this meeting. The first was a early morning research meeting dedicated to exploring new avenues of research for RHD. Attendees were Drs Vuyisile Nkomo, Andrea Beaton, David Watkins, Lori and Marvin Allen and Liesl Zuhlke. Although all active in various forms of RHD associated research, it was extremely useful to consider the needs within the US and Europe for RHD-associated research. Some extremely valuable points were made, contacts shared and ideas discussed with the commitment from Dr Nkomo to carry these forward to the HVS leadership for incorporation and support within the society.

The second was a concurrent session dedicated to RHD and Global Epidmiology.This session was chaired by Drs Pendergast (Oxford), Nkomo (Rochester) and Zuhlke (Cape Town). The speakers were Dr David Watkins, who addressed the epidimiology of RHD with lessons and new data from the Global Burden of Disease 2013 study. This study estimated that nearly 33 million were people living with RHD worldwide, with 275,000 deaths and 9.5 million disability-adjusted life-years. This was followed by the sobering statistics of the REMEDY study, presented by Liesl Zuhlke. Importantly, she also shared some of the work done within South Africa showing the effect of decades of RHD work and the beginnings of a decrease in RHD mortality, predominantly due to surgical capacity within the country. Despite this, however, 36% of patients presenting with acute heart failure due to RHD died within 180 days of initial presentation. Next, Andrea Beaton delivered an eloquent overview of genetic determinants of rheumatic fever and RHD with examples from her work in Uganda. Notably, 10% of first degree family members in a screening study in Gulu, Uganda were found to have RHD. New consoritia around RHD genetics (Africa, Australia, Oceania, New Zealand) present new potential for insights into the genetics of this condition. The final talk in this session was from Marvin Allen who presented the work of Rheumatic Rescue in Samoa, which demonstrated the heart team in action, with screening occurring alongside teaching, training, awareness raising and capacity-building. There were fascinating insights and a lively disussion from the audience, including Dr Taweesak Chotivatanapong, a renowned cardiac surgeon from Thailand, and colleagues from India. The group reiterated the need for further research funding and demonstration programmes in the RHD arena.

The final day saw the InterAmerican Cardiac Society Collaborative session with talks from Andrea Beaton (“Echo screening for RHD: Where are we?”), Flavia Tarasoutchi (“Time to intervention in Rheumatic Mitral Valve Disease”), Marcia Barbosa (“Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty”), and Taweesak Chotivatanapong (“Rheumatic Mitral Valve Regrgitation: Can it be repaired?”). A final talk in this session was by Jose Pomar on “ Are we always offering the best to our patients?” A very important question indeed.

Although the RHD sessions were not as densely populated as the opening session (standing room only), they were filled with interested and committed individuals with debate, comments and questions. The HVS has committed to including RHD within its research agenda, and we hope there will be an even larger presence at the meeting in Monaco in 2017.

Further details are as follows:
Heart Valve Society
HVS 2016 Preliminary Program
HVS 2016 Schedule at a glance