Preventing and treating spina bifida was the focus of the two-day International Conference on Spina Bifida: Genetic-Environmental Causes, Prevention and Treatment, which was hosted by Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) in association with Hamad Medical Corporation and Sidra Medical and Research Centre.
Spina bifida is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube.
Spina bifida and anencephaly are neural tube defects (NTDs) with a worldwide prevalence of about one in 1,000 live births.
Infants with spina bifida often face a life challenged by paralysis and a variety of urological and neurological complications.
The conference attracted acclaimed international leaders in epidemiology, genetics, foetal surgery, metabolomics and epigenetics.
Faculty from WCMC-Q, HMC and Sidra - who are all leading geneticists, practitioners in neurology, maternal foetal medicine and nephrology - were also in attendance and delivered presentations about the condition.
Speakers at the conference, including Weill Cornell Medical College in New York’s Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Development head and organiser of the conference Dr Elizabeth Ross and Medical University of Vienna’s Radiology Department Professor Gregor Kasprian, explained that spina bifida malformations fall into three categories: spina bifida occulta, spina bifida cystica with meningocele and spina bifida cystica with myelomeningocele.
According to them, the most common location of the malformations are the lumbar and sacral areas.
Spina bifida can be surgically closed after birth but this does not restore normal function to the affected part of the spinal cord.
The exact cause of the birth defect is not known. However, experts think that genes and the environment are part of the cause. “Children with severe symptoms are sometimes born with fluid build-up on the brain. They may also have this problem after birth. It can cause seizures, intellectual disability or sight problems. Some children also develop a curve in the spine, such as scoliosis,” they observed.
Dr Ross said the meeting was designed to be interactive, geared towards regional physicians, geneticists and healthcare providers practising in the GCC community.
In his opening address, WCMC-Q dean Dr Javaid Sheikh welcomed the distinguished group of experts and praised the work of researchers and the developments that have been made in advancing treatment of spina bifida.
“Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar remains committed to innovative and high-quality research not only for the benefit or development of Qatar but also for international advancement and for the benefit of all those who are in need. So, it is indeed a special honour for WCMC-Q to be associated with this international spina bifida conference. It demonstrates our commitment to the international community and points to our rapidly-growing legacy in promoting quality medical research and a leader of medical education in the Gulf region.”
Participants at the event had ample opportunity to discuss clinical experiences, therapeutic challenges and practical solutions in the near term as well as long-term prospects to accelerate advances in the field of spina bifida treatment and prevention.
The conference programmes presented the latest information on genetic and environmental factors contributing to the development of NTDs.
It also provided a forum for overview and discussion of NTDs encountered in Qatar and the Middle East & North Africa region.
In addition, an evening public forum gave Doha’s non-medical community the opportunity to hear about the latest research into prevention and treatment of spina bifida and other NTDs from experts in the field.