We feel privileged to host the afib.no meeting at Lysebu every year, gathering so many talented and invested AF researchers in one place. Seeing how you all connect and form new ideas that lead to projects and publications is really a gift to us, and just what we had hoped for back in 2017, when we started the whole thing.

The meeting started with Jonathan Mant, Katrin Gudmundsdottir and Sigrun Halvorsen giving updates on AF screening. It seems like the results are still conflicting; however, new results will be coming up from SAFER, STROKESTOP & NORSCREEN as we move forward.

Ben Shoemaker gave us some interesting insights from the AF Precision Medicine Clinic at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and we will hopefully collaborate on gathering more data on this interesting topic in the years coming.

The abstract session, both oral and poster, was impressive, with a very high scientific quality, and the abstract rating committee had a hard time picking out the winners. The best oral abstract award went to Andreas Berg Sellevold from NTNU, and the best poster award went to Hilde Espnes from UiT – the Arctic University of Norway. Congratulations!

After the abstract session, we heard about atrial strain both in relation to AF in the ACE1950 study, but also in relation to pericardial fat in the Baricard study. Magnar Solberg and Lili Guilani both represented Bærum Hospital. A big thanks to Dan Atar, who stepped in at very short notice and gave a beautiful presentation of results from the NOAH-AFNET 6 and ARTESIA trials.

As always, we had a great time in the breaks and at dinner – that’s where all the new ideas seem to arise. We were also privileged to hear the mesmerizing sounds from Ellen Bødtker’s gold plated concert harp.

On day 2, we learned more about sustainability and resilience from Eigil Gulliksen – CMO in Aker Solutions – in the early-career session. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, challenges and successes. The session is important to us, and we hope that you continue the conversation on how to build resilient and sustainable environments for both new and experienced researchers when you are back at your local institution, at meetings and next year, when we meet again.

In the prediction tools for AF session, Linda Johnson showed impressive results from an AI algorithm for analysis of ECGs. We look forward to seeing how this technology will be implemented – hopefully soon. Oliver Vad showed big scale analyses of proteomic markers for AF in the UK Biobank, whereas Morten Mattingsdal presented preliminary data on genetic markers associated with exercise-associated AF in the Horse2Human study.

Katja Sharashova shared new results from the Tromsø study, showing that the pulse pressure is associated with AF, but to a higher degree in women than in men. Last, Katrine Enge presented results from the RATAF II study, comparing the effects of calcium channel blockers and beta blockers on NT-proBNP and exercise capacity.

We would like to thank all of our brilliant speakers. Many of you have said that this was the best meeting so far – and we agree! But the meeting would be nothing without all of you engaged participants making up the very special atmosphere that surrounds the meeting. Thank you all for coming – hope to see you again next year!

Best,

Arnljot, Kristine & Ingrid

Categories: NEWS