Chiara Pavanello

The XI Spring Meeting of Young Researchers, jointly promoted by the Italian Society of Diabetology (SID), the Italian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (SIGG), the Italian Society of Arterial Hypertension (SIIA), the Italian Society of Internal Medicine (SIMI), the Italian Society of Cardiovascular Prevention (SIPREC), and the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis (SISA), was held in Rimini from April 19 to 21, 2026. Entitled “Spring of Minds: from genetics to AI”, this edition brought together young investigators from different scientific backgrounds to discuss how technological innovation, molecular medicine, artificial intelligence (AI), and a deeper understanding of biological complexity are reshaping research and clinical practice in the cardiometabolic field. Consistent with the spirit of the Spring Meeting, the Congress was conceived as a meeting organized by young researchers for young researchers, providing a dynamic forum for scientific exchange, networking, and interdisciplinary discussion. The scientific programme included five thematic sessions and a dedicated workshop on AI in cardiometabolic medicine, covering a broad spectrum of topics ranging from digital technologies and wearable devices to precision medicine, organ protection, cardiovascular prevention, cardio-oncology, aging, frailty, and communication in the era of AI. The Meeting also offered young participants the opportunity to present their work through oral communications and poster sessions, fostering active discussion around emerging data and future research directions.

The X Spring Meeting of Young Researchers, jointly organized by the Italian Society of Diabetology (SID), the Italian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (SIGG), the Italian Society of Arterial Hypertension (SIIA), the Italian Society of Internal Medicine (SIMI), the Italian Society of Cardiovascular Prevention (SIPREC), and the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis (SISA), took place in Rimini from April 6 to 8, 2025. This year’s event, titled “Spring MeeTENng – Between the PAST and FUTURE of Research, Spring is always PRESENT”, was coordinated by young researchers from the aforementioned scientific societies, with SIGG joining for the first time. The Congress featured five thematic sessions, each addressing timely issues in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic diseases, offering a retrospective and forward-looking perspective spanning the past decade. The Congress was organized by “young researchers for young researchers” from the scientific societies listed first and operating in the cardiometabolic field. The Congress hosted five different sessions, each addressing crucial issues in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic diseases, with a perspective that spanned the past ten years and looked toward future developments. More than 100 young researchers actively participated in oral and poster sessions, presenting and exchanging ideas on their latest findings. In the following report, we outline the core themes explored in the Meeting’s lecture program.

Background: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is now widely recognized as a marker of insulin resistance and has been linked to the development and prognosis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) in numerous populations, particularly in the Eastern world. Although there are fewer reports from the Western world, and they are sometimes contradictory, the absence of definitive data on the relationship between a raised TyG index and cardiovascular risk suggested the opportunity of testing this biochemical marker against a well-established vascular marker such as the carotid intima media thickness (c-IMT). Methods: Primary prevention patients were selected from a cohort of individuals who underwent c-IMT measurement between 1984 and 2018 at the Dyslipidemia Center at the ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda in Milan, Italy. The TyG index was calculated as the Ln [fasting TG (mg/dL)×fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2]. Carotid ultrasonography was performed using echographic measurements of the far walls of the left and right common, internal carotids, and bifurcations. Patients were followed for up to 20 years with periodic evaluation of biochemical parameters. ASCVD events were monitored through hospital records, where all patients were regularly examined. Results: The analysis included 3108 individuals with a mean age of 54.9 ± 13.1 years. Participants were generally non-obese, with an average BMI of 24.6 ± 3.5 Kg/m². Among the women, 83.1% were postmenopausal. The mean TyG index was 8.65 ± 0.59. There was a significant association between the TyG index and all c-IMT measurements. Those in the highest TyG index quartiles had significantly higher IMT_mean and IMT_max compared to those in the lower quartiles. These associations were consistent across all vascular sites examined and remained significant after adjusting for all potential confounders. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed an increased incidence of ASCVD events in the two highest TyG index quartiles. Conclusions: TyG index is a sensitive marker of risk in a European population with moderate ASCVD risk, as assessed by c-IMT measurements, in a large cohort of Lipid Clinic patients.