Page for the General Public

The following pages summarize and review this issue’s articles for an audience without a background in medicine or research.

Frank A. Lederle: Distinguished Lecture given at the opening of the 5^th International Meeting on Aortic Disease, Liège, Belgium (September 15, 2016)

In his lecture, Frank Lederle begins by telling the story how he became a researcher in aortic aneurysm disease (diseases of the aorta, the body’s main vessel) even though he is not a surgeon. His interest was sparked by the fact that aortic aneurysm disease was one of the top 15 causes of death in the USA. He started his research with an aneurysm screening project and later lead investigations on surgery on patients with small aneurysms. They showed that the benefit of surgery in patients with aneurysms of the aorta in their abdomen does not outweigh its risks in patients with aneurysms of diameters of below 5.5cm.

He continues by sharing what he learned on conducting successful research in his career as a scientist. His first advice is to choose a relevant, but easily explained question. A good choice is to question unproven facts that are nevertheless accepted in the research community. He furthermore recommends to keep a close eye on the study to make sure everything goes according to plan. Once the study is done, actually writing the article and submitting it to a journal is important. Whatever is written should be defendable by data, and as an investigator, one should stand to his results even if they do not agree with one’s opinion. He especially warns of close financial relationships with the industry to avoid being financially forced to support a certain theory. The purpose of research should be in discovery, not proving a preexisting theory. Finally, the speaker underlines the importance of mentoring young investigators and to remember one’s own mentors.

Nketi I. Forbang et al.: “Lower Aorto-iliac Bifurcation Position and Incident Cardiovascular Disease: The Multi Ethnic Study of Artherosclerosis (MESA)”

The aorta, the body’s main artery, descends from the heart in the chest downwards through the abdomen where it splits in two vessels supplying the legs with blood. This furcation is called “aorto-iliac bifurcation”. With age, it moves downward relative to the spinal column. The distance from a given location in the spine to the furcation (AIBD) increases thus with age. The AIBD has been associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In their study, Forbang et al. investigated a possible association of AIBD and actual cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke and overall death. The investigators measured the AIBD in 1511 participants and observed if the abovementioned events occurred during the following years. They came to the conclusion that the AIBD is associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but is not itself a risk factor for cardiovascular events or death of any cause.