Apolipoprotein B - An ideal biomarker for atherosclerosis?

This review article describes the pathophysiological mechanisms linking Apolipoprotein B (Apo-B) and atherosclerosis, summarizes the existing evidence on Apo B as a predictor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and recommendations of (inter)national treatment guidelines regarding Apo B in dyslipidemia management. A single Apo B molecule is present in every particle of very low-density lipoprotein, intermediate density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, and lipoprotein(a). This unique single Apo B per particle ratio makes plasma Apo B concentration a direct measure of the number of circulating atherogenic lipoproteins. This review of global evidence on Apo B as a biomarker for atherosclerosis confirms that Apo B is a single atherogenic lipid marker present in all lipids sub-fractions except HDL-C, and thus, Apo B integrates and extends the information from triglycerides and cholesterol, which could simplify and improve care for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Greater Disease Severity and Worse Clinical Outcomes in Patients Hospitalised with COVID-19 in Africa.

Background: COVID-19 cardiovascular research from Africa is limited. This study describes cardiovascular risk factors, manifestations, and outcomes of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the African region, with an overarching goal to investigate whether important differences exist between African and other populations, which may inform health policies. Methods: A multinational prospective cohort study was conducted on adults hospitalised with confirmed COVID-19, consecutively admitted to 40 hospitals across 23 countries, 6 of which were African countries. Of the 5,313 participants enrolled globally, 948 were from African sites (n = 9). Data on demographics, pre-existing conditions, clinical outcomes in hospital (major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), renal failure, neurological events, pulmonary outcomes, and death), 30-day vitality status and re-hospitalization were assessed, comparing African to non-African participants. Results: Access to specialist care at African sites was significantly lower than the global average (71% vs. 95%), as were ICU admissions (19.4% vs. 34.0%) and COVID-19 vaccination rates (0.6% vs. 7.4%). The African cohort was slightly younger than the non-African cohort (55.0 vs. 57.5 years), with higher rates of hypertension (48.8% vs. 46.9%), HIV (5.9% vs. 0.3%), and Tuberculosis (3.6% vs. 0.3%). In African sites, a higher proportion of patients suffered cardiac arrest (7.5% vs. 5.1%) and acute kidney injury (12.7% vs. 7.2%), with acute kidney injury (AKI) appearing to be one of the strongest predictors of MACE and death in African populations compared to other populations. The overall mortality rate was significantly higher among African participants (18.2% vs. 14.2%). Conclusions: Overall, hospitalised African patients with COVID-19 had a higher mortality despite a lower mean age, contradicting literature that had previously reported a lower mortality attributed to COVID-19 in Africa. African sites had lower COVID-19 vaccination rates and higher AKI rates, which were positively associated with increased mortality. In conclusion, African patients were hospitalized with more severe COVID-19 cases and had poorer outcomes.

Longitudinal associations between ambient PM2.5 exposure and lipid levels in two Indian cities.

Background: Exposure to ambient PM2.5 is known to affect lipid metabolism through systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. Evidence from developing countries, such as India with high levels of ambient PM2.5 and distinct lipid profiles, is sparse. Methods: Longitudinal nonlinear mixed-effects analysis was conducted on >10,000 participants of Centre for cArdiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (CARRS) cohort in Chennai and Delhi, India. We examined associations between 1-month and 1-year average ambient PM2.5 exposure derived from the spatiotemporal model and lipid levels (total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TRIG], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C]) measured longitudinally, adjusting for residential and neighborhood-level confounders. Results: The mean annual exposure in Chennai and Delhi was 40 and 102 µg/m3 respectively. Elevated ambient PM2.5 levels were associated with an increase in LDL-C and TC at levels up to 100 µg/m3 in both cities and beyond 125 µg/m3 in Delhi. TRIG levels in Chennai increased until 40 µg/m3 for both short- and long-term exposures, then stabilized or declined, while in Delhi, there was a consistent rise with increasing annual exposures. HDL-C showed an increase in both cities against monthly average exposure. HDL-C decreased slightly in Chennai with an increase in long-term exposure, whereas it decreased beyond 130 µg/m3 in Delhi. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate diverse associations between a wide range of ambient PM2.5 and lipid levels in an understudied South Asian population. Further research is needed to establish causality and develop targeted interventions to mitigate the impact of air pollution on lipid metabolism and cardiovascular health.

Nationwide estimation of daily ambient PM2.5 from 2008 to 2020 at 1 km2 in India using an ensemble approach.

High-resolution assessment of historical levels is essential for assessing the health effects of ambient air pollution in the large Indian population. The diversity of geography, weather patterns, and progressive urbanization, combined with a sparse ground monitoring network makes it challenging to accurately capture the spatiotemporal patterns of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution in India. We developed a model for daily average ambient PM2.5 between 2008 and 2020 based on monitoring data, meteorology, land use, satellite observations, and emissions inventories. Daily average predictions at each 1 km × 1 km grid from each learner were ensembled using a Gaussian process regression with anisotropic smoothing over spatial coordinates, and regression calibration was used to account for exposure error. Cross-validating by leaving monitors out, the ensemble model had an R2 of 0.86 at the daily level in the validation data and outperformed each component learner (by 5-18%). Annual average levels in different zones ranged between 39.7 µg/m3 (interquartile range: 29.8-46.8) in 2008 and 30.4 µg/m3 (interquartile range: 22.7-37.2) in 2020, with a cross-validated (CV)-R2 of 0.94 at the annual level. Overall mean absolute daily errors (MAE) across the 13 years were between 14.4 and 25.4 µg/m3. We obtained high spatial accuracy with spatial R2 greater than 90% and spatial MAE ranging between 7.3-16.5 µg/m3 with relatively better performance in urban areas at low and moderate elevation. We have developed an important validated resource for studying PM2.5 at a very fine spatiotemporal resolution, which allows us to study the health effects of PM2.5 across India and to identify areas with exceedingly high levels.

Natural History of Type 2 Diabetes in Indians: Time to Progression.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the natural history of diabetes in Indians. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Data are from participants older than 20 years in the Centre for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia longitudinal study. Glycemic states were defined per American Diabetes Association criteria. Markov models were used to estimate annual transition probabilities and sojourn time through states. RESULTS: Among 2,714 diabetes-free participants, 641 had isolated impaired fasting glucose (iIFG), and 341 had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). The annual transition to diabetes for those with IGT was 13.9% (95% CI 12.0, 15.9) versus 8.6% (7.3, 9.8) for iIFG. In the normoglycemia ↔ iIFG → diabetes model, mean sojourn time in normoglycemia was 40.3 (34.6, 48.2) years, and sojourn time in iIFG was 9.7 (8.4, 11.4) years. For the normoglycemia ↔ IGT → diabetes model, mean sojourn time in normoglycemia was 34.5 (29.5, 40.8) years, and sojourn time in IGT was 6.1 (5.3, 7.1) years. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals reside in normoglycemia for 35-40 years; however, progression from prediabetes to diabetes is rapid.

Fixed-dose combination therapy for the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Fixed-dose combination (FDC) therapy, also known as polypill therapy, targets risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and has been proposed as a strategy to reduce global ASCVD burden. Here we conducted a systematic search for relevant studies from 2016-2022 to assess the effects of FDC therapy for prevention of ASCVD. The studies selected include randomized trials evaluating FDC therapy with at least one blood pressure-lowering drug and one lipid-lowering drug. The study data were independently extracted, the quality of evidence was appraised by multiple reviewers and effect estimates were pooled using a fixed-effect meta-analysis when statistical heterogeneity was low to moderate. The main outcomes of the analysis were all-cause mortality, fatal and nonfatal ASCVD events, adverse events, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and adherence. Among 26 trials (n = 27,317 participants, 43.2% female and mean age range 52.9-76.0), FDC therapy was associated with lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and systolic blood pressure, with higher rates of adherence and adverse events in both primary and mixed secondary prevention populations. For studies with a mostly primary prevention population, FDC therapy was associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality by 11% (5.6% versus 6.3%; relative risk (risk ratio) of 0.89; 95% confidence interval 0.78 to 1.00; I2 = 0%; four trials and 16,278 participants) and risk of fatal and nonfatal ASCVD events by 29% (6.1% versus 8.4%; relative risk (risk ratio) of 0.71; 95% confidence interval 0.63 to 0.79; I2 = 0%; five trials and 15,503 participants). One adequately powered trial in an exclusively secondary prevention population showed that FDC therapy reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 24%. These findings support adoption and implementation of polypills to lower risk for all-cause mortality and ASCVD.

Association of pro-inflammatory cytokines, adipokines and hepatokine with incident diabetes in India: a nested case-control study within CARRS cohort.

AIMS: To study the association of pro-inflammatory markers with incident diabetes in India. METHODS: We did a nested case-control study within the CARRS (Centre for Ardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia) cohort. Of the 5739 diabetes-free individuals at the baseline, 216 participants with incident diabetes and 432 age-, gender- and city-matched controls at 2-year follow-up were included. We measured high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 ( MCP-1), adiponectin, leptin and fetuin-A in the stored baseline blood samples. We did multivariate conditional logistic regression to estimate association of inflammatory markers (as quartiles) and incident diabetes. Covariates were baseline fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and lipids, body mass index (BMI), family history of diabetes, smoking and alcohol use. RESULTS: Baseline hsCRP and TNF-α were higher, and IL-6 and adiponectin were lower among cases vs. controls. In multivariate conditional logistic regression models, only quartile-3 (odds ratio [OR]: 2.96 [95% CI:1.39, 6.30]) and quartile-4 (OR: 2.58 [95% CI: 1.15, 5.79]) of TNF-α and quartile-4 of MCP-1 (OR: 2.55 [95% CI: 1.06, 6.16]) were positively associated with diabetes after adjusting for baseline FPG and BMI. These associations did not remain after adjusting for family history. High level (quartile-4) of IL-6 was negatively associated with diabetes after adjusting for all factors (OR: 0.18 [95% CI: 0.06, 0.55]). CONCLUSIONS: Higher TNF-α and MCP-1 levels and lower IL-6 were associated with higher risk of developing diabetes. Better understanding and potential methods of addressing these biomarkers, especially in relation to family history, are needed to address diabetes in South Asians.

Impact of heatwaves on all-cause mortality in India: A comprehensive multi-city study.

BACKGROUND: Heatwaves are expected to increase with climate change, posing a significant threat to population health. In India, with the world's largest population, heatwaves occur annually but have not been comprehensively studied. Accordingly, we evaluated the association between heatwaves and all-cause mortality and quantifying the attributable mortality fraction in India. METHODS: We obtained all-cause mortality counts for ten cities in India (2008-2019) and estimated daily mean temperatures from satellite data. Our main extreme heatwave was defined as two-consecutive days with an intensity above the 97th annual percentile. We estimated city-specific heatwave associations through generalised additive Poisson regression models, and meta-analysed the associations. We reported effects as the percentage change in daily mortality, with 95% confidence intervals (CI), comparing heatwave vs non-heatwave days. We further evaluated heatwaves using different percentiles (95th, 97th, 99th) for one, two, three and five-consecutive days. We also evaluated the influence of heatwave duration, intensity and timing in the summer season on heatwave mortality, and estimated the number of heatwave-related deaths. FINDINGS: Among âˆ¼ 3.6 million deaths, we observed that temperatures above 97th percentile for 2-consecutive days was associated with a 14.7 % (95 %CI, 10.3; 19.3) increase in daily mortality. Alternative heatwave definitions with higher percentiles and longer duration resulted in stronger relative risks. Furthermore, we observed stronger associations between heatwaves and mortality with higher heatwave intensity. We estimated that around 1116 deaths annually (95 %CI, 861; 1361) were attributed to heatwaves. Shorter and less intense definitions of heatwaves resulted in a higher estimated burden of heatwave-related deaths. CONCLUSIONS: We found strong evidence of heatwave impacts on daily mortality. Longer and more intense heatwaves were linked to an increased mortality risk, however, resulted in a lower burden of heatwave-related deaths. Both definitions and the burden associated with each heatwave definition should be incorporated into planning and decision-making processes for policymakers.

Cardiovascular disease in low- and middle-income countries associated with environmental factors.

There is a growing recognition that the profound environmental changes that have occurred over the past century pose threats to human health. Many of these environmental factors, including air pollution, noise pollution, as well as exposure to metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and other metals, are particularly detrimental to the cardiovascular health of people living in low-to-middle income countries (LMICs). Low-to-middle income countries are likely to be disproportionally burdened by cardiovascular diseases provoked by environmental factors. Moreover, they have the least capacity to address the core drivers and consequences of this phenomenon. This review summarizes the impact of environmental factors such as climate change, air pollution, and metal exposure on the cardiovascular system, and how these specifically affect people living in LMICs. It also outlines how behaviour changes and interventions that reduce environmental pollution would have significant effects on the cardiovascular health of those from LMICs, and globally.

Evaluating bias with loss to follow-up in a community-based cohort: empirical investigation from the CARRS Study.

BACKGROUND: Retention of participants is a challenge in community-based longitudinal cohort studies. We aim to evaluate the factors associated with loss to follow-up and estimate attrition bias. METHODS: Data are from an ongoing cohort study, Center for cArdiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (CARRS) in India (Delhi and Chennai). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to identify sociodemographic factors associated with partial (at least one follow-up) or no follow-up (loss to follow-up). We also examined the impact of participant attrition on the magnitude of observed associations using relative ORs (RORs) of hypertension and diabetes (prevalent cases) with baseline sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: There were 12 270 CARRS cohort members enrolled in Chennai and Delhi at baseline in 2010, and subsequently six follow-ups were conducted between 2011 and 2022. The median follow-up time was 9.5 years (IQR: 9.3-9.8) and 1048 deaths occurred. Approximately 3.1% of participants had no follow-up after the baseline visit. Younger (relative risk ratio (RRR): 1.14; 1.04 to 1.24), unmarried participants (RRR: 1.75; 1.45 to 2.11) and those with low household assets (RRR: 1.63; 1.44 to 1.85) had higher odds of being lost to follow-up. The RORs of sociodemographic factors with diabetes and hypertension did not statistically differ between baseline and sixth follow-up, suggesting minimal potential for bias in inference at follow-up. CONCLUSION: In this representative cohort of urban Indians, we found low attrition and minimal bias due to the loss to follow-up. Our cohort's inconsistent participation bias shows our retention strategies like open communication, providing health profiles, etc have potential benefits.

Standardized treatment protocols for hypertension: global availability, characteristics, and alignment with the hypertension guideline recommendations.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension control is suboptimal globally. Implementing evidence-based, simple, standardized treatment protocols (STPs) has been instrumental in effectively and efficiently improving treatment and control of hypertension. We aimed to identify, characterize, and critically appraise hypertension STPs. METHODS: We defined STP as a series of steps for the pharmacological treatment of primary hypertension, with information on target population, BP threshold for treatment initiation, target BP, specific drugs/classes/doses, and follow-up frequency. STPs for adult patients were identified from the websites of relevant health organizations, Google search, and through expert consultations (until July 2023). STPs for secondary, gestational, or malignant hypertension or those that were templates/samples were excluded. Included STPs were critically appraised using HEARTS in the Americas Checklist for hypertension management in primary care and compared with the 2021 WHO hypertension management guideline recommendations. RESULTS: Fifty STPs were identified. All STPs had a stepwise treatment approach, involved guideline-recommended first-line drugs, and 98% consisted of at least four steps. Majority (54%) recommended monotherapy with calcium channel blockers as first-line treatment. Only 44% STPs recommended treatment initiation with combination therapy, and 16% recommended single-pill combinations. Most (62%) had dose-intensification as the second step. Most (74%) STPs did not provide complete dosing information. Only one STP mentioned a target time for achieving BP control. On average, STPs scored a performance of 68% on the HEARTS Checklist. CONCLUSION: Several STPs are available globally; however, most of them have enormous scope for improvement through interventions aimed at alignment with the latest evidence-based guidelines and multistakeholder engagement.

Social Determinants of Health and Disparities in Hypertension and Cardiovascular Diseases.

High blood pressure causes over 10 million preventable deaths annually globally. Populations in low- and middle-income countries suffer the most, experiencing increased uncontrolled blood pressure and cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths. Despite improvements in high-income countries, disparities persist, notably in the United States, where Black individuals face up to 4× higher CVD mortality than White individuals. Social determinants of health encompass complex, multidimensional factors linked to an individual's birthplace, upbringing, activities, residence, workplaces, socioeconomic and environmental structures, and significantly affect health outcomes, including hypertension and CVD. This review explored how social determinants of health drive disparities in hypertension and related CVD morbidity from a socioecological and life course perspective. We present evidence-based strategies, emphasizing interventions tailored to specific community needs and cross-sector collaboration to address health inequalities rooted in social factors, which are key elements toward achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 3.4 for reducing premature CVD mortality by 30% by 2030.

The path to universal health coverage in five African and Asian countries: examining the association between insurance status and health-care use.

Despite major efforts to achieve universal health coverage (UHC), progress has lagged in many African and Asian countries. A key strategy pursued by many countries is the use of health insurance to increase access and affordability. However, evidence on insurance coverage and on the association between insurance and UHC is mixed. We analysed nationally representative cross-sectional data collected between 2022 and 2023 in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, India, and Laos. We described public and private insurance coverage by sociodemographic factors and used logistic regression to examine the associations between insurance status and seven health-care use outcomes. Health insurance coverage ranged from 25% in India to 100% in Laos. The share of private insurance ranged from 1% in Ethiopia to 13% in South Africa. Relative to the population with private insurance, the uninsured population had reduced odds of health-care use (adjusted odds ratio 0·68, 95% CI 0·50-0·94), cardiovascular examinations (0·63, 0·47-0·85), eye and dental examinations (0·54, 0·42-0·70), and ability to get or afford care (0·64, 0·48-0·86); private insurance was not associated with unmet need, mental health care, and cancer screening. Relative to private insurance, public insurance was associated with reduced odds of health-care use (0·60, 0·43-0·82), mental health care (0·50, 0·31-0·80), cardiovascular examinations (0·62, 0·46-0·84), and eye and dental examinations (0·50, 0·38-0·65). Results were highly heterogeneous across countries. Public health insurance appears to be only weakly associated with access to health services in the countries studied. Further research is needed to improve understanding of these associations and to identify the most effective financing strategies to achieve UHC.

Primary health care in practice: usual source of care and health system performance across 14 countries.

Primary health care (PHC) is central to attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, yet comparable cross-country data on key aspects of primary care have not been widely available. This study analysed data from the People's Voice Survey, which was conducted in 2022 and 2023 in 14 countries. We documented usual source of care across countries and examined associations of usual source of care with core PHC services, quality ratings, and health system confidence. We found that 75% of respondents had a usual source of care, and that 40% of respondents accessed usual care in the public sector at primary level. 44% rated their usual source of care as very good or excellent. Access to PHC-linked screenings and treatments varied widely within and across countries. Having any usual source of care was associated with higher take-up of preventive services, greater access to treatment including mental health services, and greater health system endorsement. Strengthening links between health system users and primary care providers could improve take-up of preventive care and increase user satisfaction with health system performance.

Population confidence in the health system in 15 countries: results from the first round of the People's Voice Survey.

Population confidence is essential to a well functioning health system. Using data from the People's Voice Survey-a novel population survey conducted in 15 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries-we report health system confidence among the general population and analyse its associated factors. Across the 15 countries, fewer than half of respondents were health secure and reported being somewhat or very confident that they could get and afford good-quality care if very sick. Only a quarter of respondents endorsed their current health system, deeming it to work well with no need for major reform. The lowest support was in Peru, the UK, and Greece-countries experiencing substantial health system challenges. Wealthy, more educated, young, and female respondents were less likely to endorse the health system in many countries, portending future challenges for maintaining social solidarity for publicly financed health systems. In pooled analyses, the perceived quality of the public health system and government responsiveness to public input were strongly associated with all confidence measures. These results provide a post-COVID-19 pandemic baseline of public confidence in the health system. The survey should be repeated regularly to inform policy and improve health system accountability.

CSI clinical practice guidelines for dyslipidemia management: Executive summary.

Dyslipidemias are the most important coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factor. Proper management of dyslipidemia is crucial to control the epidemic of premature CAD in India. Cardiological Society of India strived to develop consensus-based guidelines for better lipid management for CAD prevention and treatment. The executive summary provides a bird's eye-view of the 'CSI: Clinical Practice Guidelines for Dyslipidemia Management' published in this issue of the Indian Heart Journal. The summary is focused on the busy clinician and encourages evidence-based management of patients and high-risk individuals. The summary has serialized various aspects of lipid management including epidemiology and categorization of CAD risk. The focus is on management of specific dyslipidemias relevant to India-raised low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), apolipoproteins, triglycerides and lipoprotein(a). Drug therapies for lipid lowering (statins, non-statin drugs and other pharmaceutical agents) and lifestyle management (dietary interventions, physical activity and yoga) are summarized. Management of dyslipidemias in oft-neglected patient phenotypes-the elderly, young and children, and patients with comorbidities-stroke, peripheral arterial disease, kidney failure, posttransplant, HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus), Covid-19 and familial hypercholesterolemia is also presented. This consensus statement is based on major international guidelines (mainly European) and expert opinion of lipid management leaders from India with focus on the dictum: earlier the better, lower the better, longer the better and together the better. These consensus guidelines cannot replace the individual clinician judgement who remains the sole arbiter in management of the patient.

Adapting and scaling a proven diabetes prevention program across 11 worksites in India: the INDIA-WORKS trial.

BACKGROUND: Structured lifestyle change education reduces the burden of cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes. Delivery of these programs at worksites could overcome barriers to program adoption and improve program sustainability and reach; however, tailoring to the worksite setting is essential. METHODS: The Integrating Diabetes Prevention in Workplaces (INDIA-WORKS) study tested the implementation and effectiveness of a multi-level program for reducing cardiometabolic disease risk factors at 11 large and diverse worksites across India. Herein, we describe and classify program adaptations reported during in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with worksite managers, program staff, and peer educators involved in program delivery, and program participants and drop-outs. We used thematic analysis to identify key themes in the data and classified reported program adaptations using the FRAME classification system. RESULTS: Adaptations were led by worksite managers, peer educators, and program staff members. They occurred both pre- and during program implementation and were both planned (proactive) and unplanned (proactive and reactive). The most frequently reported adaptations to the individual-level intervention were curriculum changes to tailor lessons to the local context, make the program more appealing to the workers at the site, or add a wider variety of exercise options. Other content adaptations included improvements to the screening protocol, intervention scheduling, and outreach plans to tailor participant recruitment and retention to the sites. Environment-level content adaptations included expanding or leveraging healthy food and exercise options at the worksites. Challenges to adaptation included scheduling and worksite-level challenges. Participants discussed the need to continue adapting the program in the future to continue making it relevant for worksite settings and engaging for employees. CONCLUSION: This study describes and classifies site-specific modifications to a structured lifestyle change education program with worksite-wide health improvements in India. This adds to the literature on implementation adaptation in general and worksite wellness in India, a country with a large and growing workforce with, or at risk of, serious cardiometabolic diseases. This information is key for program scale-up, dissemination, and implementation in other settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02813668. Registered June 27, 2016.

Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation in Lactating Women Increases Breast Milk and Erythrocyte Membrane Docosahexaenoic Acid Concentrations and Alters Infant n-6:n-3 Fatty Acid Ratio.

Background: Low concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or high n-6 (ω-6):n-3 ratio in pregnant women is associated with poor fetal growth velocity and suboptimal neurodevelopment. However, there is a lack of data on levels of important n-6 and n-3 fatty acids (FAs) at different time points during pregnancy and lactation from India. Data on how much DHA is transferred during actual supplementation are also scarce. Objectives: We report the concentrations of n-6 and n-3 FAs in maternal and infant blood and in breast milk following maternal supplementation with DHA or placebo. Methods: A total of 957 pregnant women (≤20 wk) from Belagavi, Karnataka, were randomly assigned to receive either 400 mg/d of algal DHA or placebo through 6 mo postpartum. Blood samples were collected from the mother at recruitment/baseline, delivery, and 6 mo postpartum and from the infant at birth (cord) and 12 mo (venous). Breast milk samples were collected from a subsample at delivery, 1 mo and 6 mo postpartum. The FA profile was analyzed using gas chromatography. Results: The concentration of DHA appeared to be higher in erythrocyte and breast milk samples of the DHA-supplemented group at all subsequent time points. The n-6:n-3 ratio was lower among women in the DHA group at delivery [DHA: 4.08 (1.79); placebo: 5.84 (3.57); P < 0.001] and at 6 mo postpartum [DHA: 5.34 (2.64); placebo: 7.69 (2.9); P < 0.001]. Infants of DHA-supplemented mothers also had a lower n-6:n-3 ratio at delivery and 12 mo. The n-6:n-3 ratio of breast milk increased from delivery through 1 to 6 mo but remained lower in the DHA-supplemented group than in the placebo. Conclusions: Maternal DHA supplementation with 400 mg/d from early pregnancy through 6 mo postpartum significantly increased circulating DHA in breast milk and infant erythrocyte, whereas decreased erythrocyte and breast milk n-6:n-3 ratio. However, maternal supplementation did not get the ratio to the recommended levels.

Hypertension Diagnosis, Treatment, and Control in India.

Importance: Hypertension is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Previous efforts to characterize gaps in the hypertension care continuum-including diagnosis, treatment, and control-in India did not assess district-level variation. Local data are critical for planning, implementation, and monitoring efforts to curb the burden of hypertension. Objective: To examine the hypertension care continuum in India among individuals aged 18 to 98 years. Design, Setting, and Participants: The nationally representative Fifth National Family Health Survey study was conducted in 2 phases from June 17, 2019, to March 21, 2020, and from November 21, 2020, to April 30, 2021, among 1 895 297 individuals in 28 states, 8 union territories, and 707 districts of India. Exposures: District and state of residence, urban classification, age (18-39, 40-64, and ≥65 years), sex, and household wealth quintile. Main Outcomes and Measures: Hypertension was defined as a self-reported diagnosis or a newly measured blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg or more. The proportion of individuals diagnosed (self-reported), the proportion of individuals treated among those diagnosed (self-reported medication use), and the proportion of individuals with blood pressure control among those treated (blood pressure <140/90 mm Hg [aged 18-79 years] or <150/90 mm Hg [aged ≥80 years]) were calculated based on national guidelines. Age-standardized estimates of treatment and control were also provided among the total with hypertension. To assess differences in the care continuum between or within states (ie, between districts), the variance was partitioned using generalized linear mixed models. Results: Of the 1 691 036 adult respondents (52.6% women; mean [SD] age, 41.6 [16.5] years), 28.1% (95% CI, 27.9%-28.3%) had hypertension, of whom 36.9% (95% CI, 36.4%-37.3%) received a diagnosis. Among those who received a diagnosis, 44.7% (95% CI, 44.1%-45.3%) reported taking medication (corresponding to 17.7% [95% CI, 17.5%-17.9%] of the total with hypertension). Among those treated, 52.5% (95% CI, 51.7%-53.4%) had blood pressure control (corresponding to 8.5% [95% CI, 8.3%-8.6%] of the total with hypertension). There were substantial variations across districts in blood pressure diagnosis (range, 6.3%-77.5%), treatment (range, 8.7%-97.1%), and control (range, 2.7%-76.6%). Large proportions of the variation in hypertension diagnosis (94.7%), treatment (93.6%), and control (97.3%) were within states, not just between states. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional survey study of Indian adults, more than 1 in 4 people had hypertension, and of these, only 1 in 3 received a diagnosis, less than 1 in 5 were treated, and only 1 in 12 had blood pressure control. National mean values hide considerable state-level and district-level variation in the care continuum, suggesting the need for targeted, decentralized solutions to improve the hypertension care continuum in India.