Prevalence of familial hypercholesterolemia in premature coronary artery disease patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in North India.

AIMS: The prevalence of premature coronary artery disease (CAD) in India is two to three times more than other ethnic groups. Untreated heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is one of the important causes for premature CAD. As the age advances, these patients without treatment have 100 times increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) mortality resulting from myocardial infarction (MI). Recent evidence suggests that one in 250 individuals may be affected by FH (nearly 40 million people globally). It is indicated that the true global prevalence of FH is underestimated. The true prevalence of FH in India remains unknown. METHODS: A total of 635 patients with premature CAD were assessed for FH using the Dutch Lipid Clinical Network (DLCN) criteria. Based on scores, patients were diagnosed as definite, probable, possible, or no FH. Other CV risk factors known to cause CAD such as smoking, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension were also recorded. RESULTS: Of total 635 patients, 25 (4%) were diagnosed as definite, 70 (11%) as probable, 238 (37%) as possible, and 302 (48%) without FH, suggesting the prevalence of potential (definite + probable) FH of about 15% in the North Indian population. FH is more common in younger patients, and they have lesser incidence of common CV risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and smoking than the younger MI patients without FH (26.32% vs.42.59%; 17.89% vs.29.44%; 22.11% vs.40.74%). CONCLUSION: FH prevalence is high among patients with premature CAD admitted to a cardiac unit. To detect patients with FH, routine screening with simple criteria such as family history of premature CAD combined with hypercholesterolemia, and a DLCN criteria score >5 may be effectively used.

Profiling cardiac arrhythmia and heart failure patients in India: The Pan-arrhythmia and Heart Failure Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: The PANARrhythMia and Heart Failure Registry (PANARM HF) characterized demographic, clinical and interventional therapy indication profiles of cardiac arrhythmia (CA) and heart failure (HF) patients in India. METHODS: Consulting Physicians (CP) who medically manage CA and HF patients enrolled patients with one or more of the following: syncope, pre-syncope, dyspnea, palpitation, fatigue and LV dysfunction. The CPs were trained by interventional cardiologists (IC) to identify CA/HF patients indicated for implantable device/radiofrequency ablation (RFA). 59 CP's, 16 IC's & 2205 patients from 12 cities participated. Demographic, clinical, device/RFA indication and referral-consultation profiles were created. IC's provided device/RFA recommendations based on these profiles. RESULTS: The CA/HF distribution of patients was: HF - 58%, bradyarrhythmia - 15%, atrial fibrillation - 15%, other supraventricular tachyarrhythmia - 10% and ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation - 4.5%. 62% of the CA/HF population was male and 45% were below age 60. Coronary artery disease (52%), hypertension (44%), diabetes (30%) & myocardial infarction (20%) were prominent. 1011 (46%) of the CA/HF population were potential device/RFA candidates according to the IC's. However, only 700 (69%) of these patients were referred to the IC by the CP. Of referred patients, only 177 (25%) consulted the IC and were recommended therapy. Thus, 824 (83%) of patients indicated for interventional therapy were not advised therapy or did not opt for it. CONCLUSION: The India PANARM HF study provides new information and insights into the demographic, clinical, interventional therapy, referral and consultation pattern profiles of CA/HF patients in India.

Multiple anomalies of caval veins in a patient with pulmonic stenosis.

Anomalies of the supra-diaphragmatic portion of the inferior caval vein are rare in patients with normal sinus. We recently encountered a patient with situs solitus and infundibular pulmonic stenosis who had bifurcation of the supra-diaphramatic portion of the inferior caval vein with anomalous high insertion of one portion into the mid-right atrium. The other division joined the coronary sinus which also received a persistent left superior caval vein and left hepatic veins. Biplane angiography was used to delineate the anatomy. Pre-operative delineation is required as this anomaly complicates cardio-pulmonary bypass.

Left atrial dilatation in constrictive pericarditis: a pre and post-operative echocardiographic study.

Thirty-three surgically proven cases of constrictive pericarditis were studied pre-operatively by echocardiography for left atrial dilatation and 18 of them underwent post-operative study at a mean follow-up period of 229 +/- 105 days. The degree of left atrial dilatation in these patients was compared with patients of restrictive cardiomyopathy (n = 8) and sex matched controls of similar age (n = 33). Significant left atrial dilatation was present in patients of constrictive pericarditis compared to controls and it was of a similar or greater degree compared to patients of restrictive cardiomyopathy (the left atrium to aorta ratio was 1.7 +/- 0.31, 1.53 +/- 0.18 and 1.07 +/- 0.1, in constrictive pericarditis, restrictive cardiomyopathy and controls, respectively, P = NS for constrictive pericarditis vs. restrictive cardiomyopathy and P < 0.001 for constrictive pericarditis vs. controls). There was no correlation of degree of left atrial dilatation with clinical and hemodynamic variables. Postoperatively, there was regression of left atrial size in patients with normal hemodynamics (n = 12, pre- vs. post-operative left atrium to aorta ratio 1.65 +/- 0.23 vs. 1.32 +/- 0.14, P < or = 0.001) and persisting or increasing left atrial dilatation in patients with persisting hemodynamic abnormality (n = 6, left atrium to aorta ratio 1.66 +/- 0.23 vs. 1.82 +/- 0.15, P = NS). We conclude that significant left atrial dilatation is a consistent echocardiographic feature of constrictive pericarditis. Hemodynamic normalization following successful pericardiectomy is associated with regression of atrial size.

Color Doppler echocardiographic assessment of Sorin mitral prosthetic valve.

Doppler echocardiographic characteristics of 57 normally functioning Sorin prosthetic valves (a tilting valve) in the mitral position were studied in the early postoperative period. The three valve sizes (in mm) studied were: 25 (n = 15), 27 (n = 32) and 29 (n = 10). The mean gradients (mmHg) and the valve area (Sq cm) calculated by pressure half time method) for the three valve sizes were 3.46 +/- 1.69 and 2.49 +/- 0.26; 3.46 +/- 1.25 and 2.57 +/- 0.44; and 3.2 +/- 1.23 and 2.55 +/- 0.41; respectively. There was no significant difference in gradients and valve area between the three sizes, variations in pressure half time and therefore the calculated valve area was large. Color Doppler evaluation revealed a bifid nonturbulent jet directed anteriorly towards the interventricular septum. 12 patients (20%) had mild valvar and 7 (12%) had paravalvar mitral regurgitation (mild in 5 and moderate in 2) without any associated prosthetic valve dysfunction. The paravalvar regurgitation persisted in all the 5 patients restudied at 5-12 months postoperatively. Sorin prosthetic valves have similar gradients and valve area when compared to other disc valves. The incidence of of paravalvar regurgitation was slightly higher in our series. The limitations of Doppler derived gradients and area of prosthetic valve are discussed.

Atrio-ventricular regurgitations in constrictive pericarditis: incidence and post-operative outcome.

We studied 33 surgically proven cases of constrictive pericarditis during the period 1989-1991 by color Doppler echocardiography and angiography to look for incidence and postoperative outcome of atrioventricular regurgitation. The mean age was 27.2 + 16.5 years (21 males, 12 females). There was a very high incidence of mitral (79%, trivial in 13, mild in 11 and moderate in 2) and tricuspid (73%, trivial in 7, mild and moderate in 6 each and severe in 5) regurgitation. There was good correlation between 'color Doppler' and angiography for detection and quantification of these regurgitations (r = 0.89 for mitral and 0.76 for tricuspid regurgitation, respectively). There were no preoperative clinical or hemodynamic predictors for the incidence or severity of these regurgitations. Immediate postoperative (7-10 days) evaluation by color Doppler did not show any change in these regurgitations. A follow-up study (by color Doppler and angiography) in 18 patients at a mean period of 229 + 105 days revealed regression of these regurgitations by at least 1 grade in 50% of patients. Patients with persisting regurgitations had persisting hemodynamic abnormality and relatively longer duration of symptoms. The presence of atrio-ventricular regurgitations should not be taken as evidence favoring diagnosis of restrictive cardiomyopathy and against that of constrictive pericarditis. The mechanism of these regurgitations is not clear to us.