Kolkata-Coventry comparative registry study of acute heart failure: an insight into the impact of public, private and universal health systems on patient outcomes in low-middle income cities (KOLCOV HF Study).

INTRODUCTION: Survival gaps in acute heart failure (AHF) continue to expand globally. Multinational heart failure (HF) registries have highlighted variations between countries. Whether discrepancies in HF practice and outcomes occur across different health systems (ie, private, public or universal healthcare) within a city or between countries remain unclear. Insight into organisational care is also scarce. With increasing public scrutiny of health inequalities, a study to address these limitations is timely. METHOD: KOLCOV-HF study prospectively compared patients with AHF in public (Nil Ratan Sircar Hospital (NRS)) versus private (Apollo Gleneagles Hospital (AGH)) hospitals of Kolkata, India, and one with universal health coverage in a socioeconomically comparable city of Coventry, England (University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire (UHCW)). Data variables were adapted from UK's National HF Audit programme, collected over 24 months. Predictors of in-hospital mortality and length of hospitalisation were assessed for each centre. RESULTS: Among 1652 patients, in-hospital mortality was highest in government-funded NRS (11.9%) while 3 miles north, AGH had significantly lower mortality (7.5%, p=0.034), similar to UHCW (8%). This could be attributed to distinct HF phenotypes and differences in clinical and organisational care. As expected, low blood pressure was associated with a significantly greater risk of death in patients served by public hospitals UHCW and NRS. CONCLUSION: Marked differences in HF characteristics, management and outcomes exist intra-regionally, and between low-middle versus high-income countries across private, public and universal healthcare systems. Physicians and policymakers should take caution when applying country-level data locally when developing strategies to address local evidence-practice gaps in HF.

A study on normal reference values of echocardiographic chamber dimensions in young eastern Indian adults.

OBJECTIVE: Various studies have shown racial differences in adult cardiac chamber measurements by echocardiography. There is lack of any large scale data from India regarding the echocardiographic chamber measurements in cardiologically healthy individuals. In this study we present the normal reference values of echocardiographic chamber dimensions in young eastern Indian adults and compare it with the data in present guidelines and recent studies involving Indian subjects. METHODS: This study was performed on 1377 healthy adults aged 18-35 years. Standard transthoracic echocardiographies were performed to obtain basic measurements. All measurements were indexed to body surface area. RESULTS: The mean maximal aortic valve cusp separation (ACS) and indexed ACS were significantly more in females (p = 0.002, p = 0.03). Mean left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) and LV fractional shortening were marginally higher in females. Upper normal reference limit of LV end diastolic dimension (LVEdD) is slightly more for males. Comparing to ASE data, LVEdD, LV end systolic dimension, LV end diastolic volume, indexed LV end systolic volume, left atrial anteroposterior dimension, aortic root dimension and right ventricle outflow diameter were significantly lower in study population while LVEF was significantly higher (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The study reconfirms that Indian subjects have smaller cardiac chamber measurements compared to western population where as LVEF is higher in the Indian population and also demonstrates the wide variation of normal echocardiographic measurements within Indian subcontinent. No previous data from eastern India makes this research a singular experience.

The dexmedetomidine "augmented" sedato analgesic cocktail: An effective approach for sedation in prolonged endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In absence of any published standard guideline for sedation or anesthesia practice for prolonged therapeutic "endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP)", safe and cost-effective sedation protocol is the need of the hour. Our study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a dexmedetomidine as an add-on for prolonged deep sedation for ERCP and to compare three deep sedation regimens regarding safety and efficacy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-five consecutively enrolled patients planned for therapeutic ERCP and assumed to have prolonged procedural duration (>50 min) were divided into three groups in a randomized assessor blinded fashion. Group 1 received propofol and midazolam, Group 2 received the sedato-analgesic cocktail containing ketamine-propofol-midazolam-pentazocine, and the Group 3 received sedate-analgesic cocktail plus dexmedetomidine infusion under monitoring of vital parameters and according to the judgment of the concerned anesthesiologist. Total propofol requirement, episodes of gagging, oxygen desaturation, changes in mean blood pressure (MBP), recovery and satisfaction score of endoscopist, anesthetist and patient were noted and analyzed statistically using one way ANOVA with Bonferroni correction and Chi-square test. RESULTS: Mean propofol requirement, incidences of gagging and oxygen desaturation was significantly less in Group 2 and 3 compared to Group 1. MBP was more stable and recovery was faster in Group 3. Anesthetist's satisfaction was more with Group 2 and even more with Group 3. CONCLUSIONS: The sedato-analgesic cocktail was superior to the conventional propofol-midazolam regimen, dexmedetomidine as add-on increased the efficacy and safety of sedate-analgesic cocktail. It reduces propofol requirement, helps to maintain the patient in a safe and more stable level of sedation and increases satisfaction of the anesthetist.

Annulo-aortic ectasia with thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm in a case of dilated cardiomyopathy.

We report on a case of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy with aortic aneurysm involving the aortic root and thoraco-abdominal aorta. This patient presented with exertional chest pain and backache radiating to both the upper limbs. His echocardiogram revealed dilated cardiomyopathy with mild to moderate aortic regurgitation and a hugely dilated aortic root. His angiogram showed normal coronary arteries, a dilated aortic root and thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm.