4th International suPAR symposium Overview

Almost 100 researchers met to present new data and discuss the potential of the suPAR biomarker in triage in the emergency room and ICU setting.

The 4th International suPAR symposium was held in late February in 2013 in Aachen, Germany.

This years suPAR symposium was entitled ” New Horizons for suPAR: Risk Stratification, Organ Dysfunction and Relevance for Specific Diseases”.

Almost 100 researchers from all over the world met to discuss the potential use of the prognostic biomarker suPAR.

The symposium was hosted by Professor Frank Tacke and Dr Alexander Koch from Aachen University Hospital

The talks started with insights into suPAR biology and pathology with ”state of the art lecture” given by professor Jochen Reiser from Chicago on the causative effect of suPAR in kidney diseases. This was followed by an overview on suPAR in Kidney diseases, liver diseases and finally in pulmonary diseases.

The overviews were followed by presentations on exciting new data on suPAR in liver cirrhosis – where does suPAR come from, how is it regulated, what is its prognostic relevance?

Following this, new data on the role of suPAR in low-grade inflammation, Atherosclerosis and Life Style Diseases were presented and discussed and approximately half of the attendees had their blood drawn for suPAR measurement

Hereafter chief Physician Jyrki Tenhunen gave an overview on the large amount of data published within the last year with emphesis on sepsis

Finally, on day 1, new data on suPAR and its prognostic value in Inflammatory and Infectious Diseases and Sepsis were presented and the Usefulness of suPAR in Risk Stratification of Patients with sepsis Admitted to the Emergency Department were discussed

As the day turned into night, the researchers met to socialize and exchange ideas at the suPARTY.

On day 2, after some black coffee, the researchers presented data and discussed how biomarkers may aid in clinical decision making – in particular in sepsis, Cardiology, Kidney failure, liver failure and finally in cancer.The last session gave insight into the use of suPAR as a marker of triaging in the emergency department. And Katia Donadello closed the symposium with a presentation on the potential use of suPAR in the intensive care unit.