Joint Press Release
For immediate release-
2006-67
The prestigious scientific journal nature recognizes theScientific work carried out with research centre of the Hopital Laval and at the Université Laval
QUÉBEC (December 14, 2006) - For almost twenty years, Dr. Jean-Pierre Després, Director of Research in Cardiology at the Hôpital Laval Research Centre and Scientific Director of the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk at the Faculty of Medicine of Université Laval, Québec City, has conducted with his research team numerous studies on abdominal obesity as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In this regard, for more than a decade, Dr. Després and his team have advocated the use of waist circumference as a vital sign as important as hypertension, smoking and cholesterol to estimate risk of cardiovascular disease. For instance, their work has led them to propose that the measurement of waist circumference could provide a simple but useful assessment of abdominal obesity which is now considered as a new cardiovascular disease risk factor.
In the 14th of December issue of the prestigious international journal Nature, Dr. Després and his colleague, Dr. Isabelle Lemieux, from the Hôpital Laval Research Centre, summarize the state of knowledge on abdominal obesity as a cardiometabolic risk factor. "There is currently a huge controversy around a condition referred to as metabolic syndrome, which simply represents a cluster of metabolic abnormalities increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease", mentioned Dr. Després. "This is exactly why the scientific journal Nature has requested from us a paper which would discuss the key elements of this debate while also referring to our own work", added Dr. Després. "Abdominal obesity, is by far, for a reasons that we explain in the paper, the form of metabolic syndrome most frequently found by physicians, thereby emphasizing the importance of measuring waist circumference in clinical practice. Furthermore, although abdominal obesity is important to assess, physicians, by all means, must also pay attention to the classical risk factors (age, gender, the good and the bad cholesterol, blood pressure, smoking and diabetes) in order to properly evaluate global cardiovascular disease risk, such global risk being defined by a new term: cardiometabolic risk", he pointed out.
"This publication from Dr. Després' team in the prestigious scientific journal Nature underscores the expertise and the leadership of the Hôpital Laval Research Centre and of Université Laval in this area", mentioned Dr. Raymond Leblanc, Vice-President of Research at Université Laval. "For instance, the work conducted on cardiometabolic risk and abdominal obesity at Hôpital Laval by Dr. Després and his colleagues, scientists, cardiologists and heart surgeons is exponentially growing", added Dr. Denis Richard, Director of the Hôpital Laval Research Centre. "The challenge now for our Research Centre and for Université Laval is to provide adequate laboratories, equipments and adequate support to these teams of physicians, scientists and research assistants in order to maintain our worldwide leadership in this area so important for the cardiovascular health of our population", to conclude Dr. Richard.
"The work of Dr. Després and his team is a key component of our research activities in cardiology, metabolism and cardiovascular risk factors at Hôpital Laval. Our research and clinical teams expertise in preventive cardiology has now achieved international recognition", to add Dr. François Philippon, Director of the Multidisciplinary Department of Cardiology at Hôpital Laval. "The implications of metabolic syndrome and abdominal obesity are numerous in all areas of research at Hôpital Laval and this is why we aim to accelerate the development at our research centre in order to accommodate our growth and to better serve our population", commented Dr. Paul Poirier, Medical Director of the Pavilion for the prevention of cardiovascular disease at Hôpital Laval. "So far, we can be proud of what we have achieved through limited resources which cannot be compared with the major American research centres working in the same area", he added. "However, our environment is so rich for research and training of qualified personnel that we need to consolidate our environment with major investments", Dr. Poirier concluded.
Dr. Després, who has personally been supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for the major part of his career, emphasizes the need to support the establishment and the future of young researchers in Québec and Canada. "Knowledge creation through research and proper translation efforts will allow us to not only provide better health care to Canadians, but also to develop and implement preventive approaches that will have been scientifically validated", he concluded.
"This review illustrates the difficulty of identifying the factors that put us most at risk for the development of diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes," says Dr. Diane Finegood, Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes. "The research of Dr. Després and his colleagues helps us understand the importance of waist circumference as a key indicator of risk for chronic disease."
Hôpital LavalThe reference research centre in cardiology, pneumology and obesity in North America. Founded in 1918, Hôpital Laval is the heart and lung institute of Université Laval. It provides the population of Central and Eastern Québec with subspecialized care and services in cardiology, pneumology, and the surgical management of obesity. The Hospital's expertise includes ambulatory and hospital care, teaching, research, and the evaluation of health technologies. The Hospital also provides general and specialized acute care in accordance with its patients' clinical needs and its subspecialized areas of expertise.
The Hospital also has an in-house research centre that is renowned worldwide and supported by Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (Québec Health Research Council).
Hôpital Laval Research CentreThe main goal of the Hôpital Laval Research Centre is to slow the obesity epidemic and the progression of cardiac and pulmonary disease through research and prevention. The Hôpital Laval Research Centre has focused its development around this vision and aims to become the leading North American research centre in cardiology, pneumology, and obesity. In order to achieve this goal, the Centre has undertaken a three-phase development plan, two phases of which are currently underway. This expansion of existing facilities will create some 200 jobs. Close cooperation between researchers and physicians has enabled the Hôpital Laval Research Centre to develop international, multicenter research projects that generate significant economic benefits for the Québec City region.
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's agency for health research. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to catalyze its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 10,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada. For information: www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
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For information :
Joël Clément, M.A. communicationsCommunications and Public Relations, Director General AssistantHôpital Laval, institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie2725, chemin Sainte-FoyQuébec, (Québec) G1V 4G5Tel : (418) 656-4932Email: joel.clement@ssss.gouv.qc.caWeb Site : www.hopitallaval.qc.ca/
Marie-France PoirierCIHR Media Specialist Office: (613) 941-4563 Mobile: (613) 447-4794 E-mail: mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
