In this special seminar, Professor Terry Dwyer will discuss his work investigating whether risk factors known to predict cardiovascular disease (e.g. high blood pressure and obesity) when experienced during childhood, contribute to the occurrence of such potentially life-threatening events in middle age.

This talk is organised by the George Institute for Global Health. No booking is required but if you would like further information please contact anastasia.bow-bertrand@georgeinstitute.ox.ac.uk.

The International Childhood Cardiovascular Cohort consortium (i3C) was established in 2002 with the aim of investigating whether risk factors known to predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adults had an impact if experienced in childhood.All global cohorts with measurement of CVD risk factors in children from the 1970’s and 80’s were identified and included. The combined number of participants in seven global cohorts was just over 40,000, among whom 31,000 also had measurements in early adulthood. A number of high impact publications based on follow up of subjects into early adulthood for CVD/metabolic outcomes have been produced.

By 2014 many cohort participants had passed the age of fifty where adult disease events start to accumulate. The i3C consortium was awarded a five year grant of US$13,000,000 from NHLBI to follow participants for CVD events. This follow-up is nearing completion, with an estimated 800 CVD incident events and 200 CVD deaths having been ascertained.

This talk will cover the rationale for anticipating that childhood risk factors, including serum cholesterol, blood pressure, and obesity, might contribute importantly to the occurrence of these potentially life-threatening events in middle aged adults. The data from the follow up study on the associations we have identified between these childhood risk factors and CVD events in middle age will be presented, and the implications for CVD prevention discussed.

A drinks and networking reception will be held directly after the talk from 6.15pm.