An analysis of death trends in Argentina, 1990-2017, with emphasis on the effects of economic crises.

BACKGROUND: Economic crises have heterogeneous effects on population-level mortality between high- and low- or middle-income countries. Argentina - a middle income country- has suffered economic crises repeatedly over the past 30 years and is a model case study for the effects of economic crises on mortality. METHODS: Over 28 years (1990-2017), all death records in Argentina were analysed at the most disaggregated level possible (departments, that is, second-level administrative divisions). Age-and-sex-standardized all-cause mortality, premature death (<75 years) and the probability of death at different ages for both the entire population and each socio-economic quintile were calculated by level of unsatisfied basic needs (UBNs). Standardized rates are reported as biannual average and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Considered globally since the beginning of the series and using the 1990-1 biennium as a reference category, the standardized death rate was significantly reduced from biennium 2 (1992-3) to biennium 14 (2016-7), interrupted by two statistically significant increases in mortality, in years 2002-3 and 2016-7. In 2002-3, women had greater increase in mortality than men, and in 2016-7, even more so. The probability of dying before 75 years of age increased significantly in the last biennium, mostly among people between 50 and 74 years in the most deprived quintiles. CONCLUSIONS: Despite significant overall improvement over time, economic crises impose severe increases in mortality, especially among vulnerable groups such as the poor, the elderly, and women.

Inequidad social, lugar de residencia y muerte prematura por cualquier causa en la Argentina / Social Inequity, Place of Residence and All-Cause Premature Death in Argentina

Introducción: Aunque recientemente se reportó la relación entre la muerte prematura y la condición socioeconómica en la Argentina, no existen análisis sobre el impacto que dicha condición tiene en distintas regiones del país. Objetivo: Describir el impacto que la condición socioeconómica presentó sobre la incidencia de muerte prematura en las distintas provincias de la Argentina durante el período 2000-2010. Material y métodos: Se utilizó un modelo ecológico, que evaluó las tasas estandarizadas de muerte prematura (≤ 74 años) durante el período 2000-2010. Asimismo, se examinó la relación entre la condición socioeconómica medida en deciles de necesidades básicas insatisfechas por departamento geográfico y la muerte prematura. La unidad de análisis fueron los 512 departamentos de la Argentina y las 15 comunas de la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Resultados: La condición socioeconómica estuvo significativamente asociada con la muerte prematura en la Argentina durante el período analizado. En todas las provincias y regiones se observó un gradiente lineal entre la muerte precoz y la condición socioeconómica. Sin embargo, la pendiente de desigualdad entre los componentes de la condición socioeconómica varió significativamente entre los distintos departamentos. Mientras que en toda la Argentina la diferencia absoluta en la tasa estandarizada de muerte prematura entre los componentes extremos de condición socioeconómica fue de 10 muertes (rango: 7,81-12,36) por cada 10.000 personas por año, en la ciudad de Buenos Aires esa diferencia fue de 61 muertes (rango: 53-69). Las comunas del sur de la ciudad de Buenos Aires fueron las zonas con mayor desigualdad social y sanitaria de la Argentina. Conclusiones: Aunque la inequidad social tuvo un impacto significativo en la muerte prematura en todo el período en toda la Argentina, la ciudad de Buenos Aires se mostró como la región más desigual.

Background: Although the relationship between premature death and socioeconomic status has been recently reported in Argentina, there are no analyses on the impact of this condition in different regions of the country. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the influence of socioeconomic status on the incidence of premature death rate in different provinces of Argentina, from 2000 to 2010. Methods: An ecological model was used to evaluate standardized premature death rates (≤74 years) during the period between 2000 and 2010. In addition, the relationship between socioeconomic status, measured in deciles of unmet basic needs at geo-graphic departmental level and premature death was examined. The units of analysis were the 512 Argentine departments and the 15 communes of the city of Buenos Aires. Results: Socioeconomic status was significantly associated with premature death rate in Argentina during the study period. A linear gradient was observed between premature death and socioeconomic status in all provinces and regions. However, the slope index of inequality varied significantly between departments. While the absolute difference in standardized premature death rate between the extreme components of socioeconomic status was 10 deaths (range: 7.81-12.36) per 10,000 persons pers year in all Argentina, in the city of Buenos Aires this difference was 61 deaths (range: 53-69). The Southern communes of Buenos Aires were the areas with the highest social and health inequalities of Argentina. Conclusions: Although social inequity had a significant impact on premature death rate throughout Argentina during the study period, the city of Buenos Aires was the most unequal region.

Survey on Ethical Conduct Thresholds in Cardiologal Medical Practice in Argentina.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the attitude of a group of cardiologists on the ethical conducts they would accept or adopt when encountered with different hypothetical situations of medical practice. Between August and September of 2011, 700 Argentine cardiologists were surveyed in situations which posed ethical dilemmas in the patient-physician relationship, among colleagues or involving financial agreements with employers or the pharmaceutical industry. Ethical conflicts were evidenced in a series of inappropriate conducts such as differential fees, trips and meals sponsored by laboratories, splitting fees, overbilling, self-referral, charging for patient referral, financial compensation for ordering medical procedures, and various situations derived from the relationship with employers. In general, financial compensation from the pharmaceutical industry was more accepted than the conflictive situations which directly involved patients, colleagues or employers. The rejection of these conducts, the physicians' deontological education and the improvement of financial and organizational conditions in medical practice will help to encourage better medical professionalism and avoid unseemly behaviors.

Early assessment of myocardial viability by the use of delayed enhancement computed tomography after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to explore the relationship between established parameters of reperfusion and the extent of myocardial damage measured by the delayed enhancement (DE) of iodinated contrast by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) immediately after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: Early detection of myocardial viability should be valuable for risk stratification of patients with reperfused acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: Consecutive patients without a history of previous AMI who underwent primary PCI for an ST-segment elevation AMI were examined by DE-MDCT without an additional contrast injection immediately after completion of PCI. No medication was administrated to lower the heart rate. Dose modulation lead to an approximate mean radiation dose of 5.5 mSv. RESULTS: Thirty patients constituted the study population. Mean age was 61.4 +/- 15.6 years, 24 (80%) were men, and 4 (13%) were diabetic. Although post-procedural Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade 3 was achieved in all patients, DE was detected in 14 (47%) patients. Age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, smoking history, serum creatinine levels, and pain duration were not associated with the presence of DE. Door-to-balloon time (DE 70.3 +/- 33.6 min vs. non-DE 98.3 +/- 70.7 min, p = 0.19) and lesion crossing time (DE 18.6 +/- 11.4 min vs. non-DE 16.4 +/- 9.6 min, p = 0.58) did not differ between groups. The TIMI myocardial perfusion grade (0 to 1 vs. 2 to 3) after stent implantation and electrocardiogram ST-segment resolution (<50% or >/=50%) were associated with the presence of DE (p = 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively). Pre-discharge left ventricular ejection fraction was lower in DE than in non-DE patients (44.6 +/- 12.4% vs. 54.1 +/- 10.3%, respectively, p = 0.05). Hospitalization days (DE 5.6 +/- 3.8 vs. non-DE 4.8 +/- 1.0, p = 0.41) and 6-month cardiac events (DE 3 of 14 vs. non-DE 1 of 16, p = 0.22) did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Early detection of myocardial viability immediately after primary PCI by the use of DE-MDCT is related to clinical and angiographic parameters of myocardial reperfusion.