UMCG cardiology leading DCVA consortium, RACE V-Impulse
Atrial fibrillation is one of the major cardiovascular challenges of our time and is the most common arrhythmia around the world. This is why the Dutch Heart Foundation (DHF) has set it as priority in the research agenda. This why the DHF has appointed 4 initiators to form a national consortium around atrial fibrillation. It concerns a follow-up financing of the RACE V Impulse research making a maximum of 3 million euros available. The new consortium will become part of the Dutch CardioVascular Alliance and will be an important instrument in the earlier recognition and better treatment of atrial fibrillation.
Two of our professors have been appointed as initiators of this consortium. Prof. dr. Isabelle Van Gelder, cardiologist, has expertise on electrophysiology and arrhythmias. Prof. dr. Dr. Michiel Rienstra, cardiologist, has expertise in atrial fibrillation and heart failure.
The focus of the newly formed consortium will be on improving the risk assessment of patients with atrial fibrillation. This will allow personalized approaches to patients with atrial fibrillation. On the one hand, the program will consist of clinical activities that focus on the implementation of risk profiles. On the other hand, there is scope for studies that should provide more insights into the molecular, electrical and other mechanistic factors that play a role in the progression of atrial fibrillation.
“Really thrilled to have another chance to further study personalized therapy in AF. We are now looking for new collaborators.” prof. dr. Isabelle Van Gelder
“We look forward to collaborate on this important line of AF research to improve lives of those living with AF” prof. dr. Michiel Rienstra
The Dutch CardioVascular Alliance (DCVA) is a partnership of currently 19 organizations that have expressed the joint ambition to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease by a quarter by 2030. This joining of forces at a national level should mean that we could detect cardiovascular diseases earlier, develop solutions more quickly and bring them to the patient and evaluate them.
The Race V consortium (Reappraisal of Atrial Fibrillation: Interaction between hyperCoagulability, Electrical remodeling, and Vascular Destabilization in the Progression of AF) conducts clinical and mechanistic research into the causes of progression of atrial fibrillation. Interim results have shown that paroxysmal AF is an heterogeneous disease and its burden is determined by the number of comorbidities.
