Pre-Congress EDES & PES Joint Symposium – EDEC 2026
DM Microvascular Complications: From Theory to Practice (The Eyes and the Kidney)
The Pre-Congress Joint Symposium between the Pakistan Endocrine Society (PES) and the Emirates Diabetes and Endocrine Society (EDES) was held as part of the Sixteenth Emirates Diabetes and Endocrine Congress (EDEC 2026), highlighting strong academic collaboration between Pakistan and the UAE in addressing diabetes-related microvascular complications.
The symposium opened with remarks by Dr. Fatheya Alawadi and Dr. S. Abbas Raza, and was moderated by Dr. Juma Alkaabi, setting the stage for a meaningful exchange of regional expertise.
A key highlight was Dr. S. Abbas Raza’s presentation on real-world data from Pakistan (CardiP Study), providing insights into cardiovascular risk factors in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and enabling improved early risk stratification in the regional population.
The session included guideline-based updates on diabetic retinopathy, focusing on early diagnosis, prevention of vision loss, and emerging therapies, along with discussion on the role of GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors in improving microvascular outcomes.
A major focus was diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in Pakistan, where Dr. Umer Raja highlighted that approximately nine million individuals (32%) are affected, with most patients presenting at advanced stages. DKD remains a leading cause of dialysis, alongside hypertension. Discussions emphasized gaps in early detection and highlighted the renal protective benefits of ACE inhibitors/ARBs, SGLT2 inhibitors, finerenone, and GLP-1 receptor agonists.
The symposium concluded with case-based discussions on early and advanced DKD by Dr. Ali Asghar, reinforcing practical, evidence-based management strategies. EDEC 2026 successfully served as a platform for regional and global knowledge exchange, particularly strengthening collaboration between Pakistan and the UAE.
