In the photo: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Valentina Ginevičienė and master's student in physiotherapy Jekaterina Danilova / Personal archive
From April 11th to 14th of this year, in London, United Kingdom, the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis, and Musculoskeletal Diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO) took place. This year, the congress focused extensively on the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis, assessment and prevention of bone fracture risk, as well as sarcopenia and its impact on quality of life. As with every year, the event brought together experts in osteoporosis and sarcopenia from around the world to discuss the prevention, treatment, and management of these conditions.
Representing Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine at the congress were Prof. Dr. Rūta Dadelienė (Department of Rehabilitation, Physical, and Sports Medicine), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Valentina Ginevičienė (Department of Human and Medical Genetics), as well as final year master's students in the physiotherapy program Jekaterina Danilova and Dorė Orentaitė. At the event, representatives from Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine presented 4 poster presentations on various topics: "Relationship between physiological characteristics and cumulative incidence of falls in overweight older women"; "Relationship between depressive symptoms and frailty in older adults"; "Dependence of frailty on the number of falls and gait speed among the elderly"; "Lower limb strength association with increased risk of frailty and falls in older adults".
WCO-IOF-ESCEO Congress / Personal archiveThe data for the presentations were obtained from the multidisciplinary project "Genomic, Epigenomic, and Telomere Length Features in Sarcopenia and Aging" (GEPITEL, project No. S-MIP-22-36), carried out by researchers from Vilnius University: Prof. Dr. Vidmantas Alekna, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Valentina Ginevičienė, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erinija Pranckevičienė, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Asta Mastavičiūtė, Prof. Dr. Rūta Dadelienė, Dr. Ieva Eglė Jamontaitė, Prof. Dr. Idlus I. Ahmetov, and doctoral student Justina Kilaitė. The aim of the GEPITEL project is to investigate whether genomic and epigenomic markers are associated with the phenotype of sarcopenia and frailty syndrome and can help identify these conditions, which are common among elderly individuals and contribute to an increased risk of negative clinical outcomes.
"These experiences from the congress are invaluable! It was possible not only to learn about the latest research results and directions but also to meet scientists from other countries, exchange knowledge and experience on various topics. The congress inspired further work, undertaking scientific research, and thus contributing to the future of medicine," shared Justina Kilaitė, a doctoral student from the Faculty of Medicine, with her impressions after the congress."