Familial HypercholesterolemiaFamilial Hypercholesterolemia Canada / Hypercholesterolemie Familiale Canada

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is the most frequent genetic lipoprotein disorder associated with premature CAD. In Canada, the burden of disease is estimated to be approximately 83,500 patients. The goal of this initiative is to create a registry of subjects with FH across Canada. Rare diseases of lipoprotein metabolism are also included. Using a "hub and spoke" model, the registry extends in various communities to link primary care physicians with provincial academic centers. The registry includes clinical, biochemical and demographic information. Specimens (plasma/serum and DNA) are collected for biobanking. The "local" portion of the registry is available for clinicians to manage patient care, and identify relatives for screening and treatment (cascade screening). The Canada-wide registry, which is completely anonymized, will be made available to provide advice to general practitioners and to support collaborative studies in biomedical, clinical, health outcomes and health economics research. The data extracted for the provincial portion of the database will allow administrative database research that will provide important information to key stakeholders and permit allocation of resources. It will also allow a sound and uniform rationale for the use of novel therapeutic agents and provide expert advice to regulatory agencies. At the Canadian level, the database will allow clinicians and researchers to determine the burden of disease and the long-term effects of treatment. Through the creation of a Canada-wide network of academic clinics, integrating lipid specialists, endocrinologists and cardiologists, the Canadian FH registry will lead to significant benefits for FH patients, clinicians and researchers, biopharmaceutical industry and government.