Excess morbidity and expenditure on healthcare in families with smokers: a community study.

BACKGROUND: There is paucity of information on health-related expenditure attributed to smoking in India. This community study estimated the expenditure on healthcare and morbidity borne by families of smokers and compared these with those of families without smokers. It was hypothesized that families with smokers were likely to have a higher health expenditure than non-smoker families attributable to the increased probability of health problems associated with smoking. METHODS: The study population comprised 1000 urban and rural families divided into two groups. Group I consisted of 500 families with one or more smoker(s) while group II comprised 500 families without a smoker. Both groups had an equal representation from the urban and rural populations (250 each). The study team used a structured, generally close-ended questionnaire, pre-tested for its validity and reliability, to interview the families. Different components of health-related expenditure and other morbidity indices were studied. Each family was studied in two phases: (i) initially, for the retrospective assessment of expenditure and other losses during the preceding one year, and (ii) prospectively, for the following 10 months on repeated visits and estimations made every two months. The data collected retrospectively were mostly incomplete and could not be used for analyses. RESULTS: The number of family members reporting sick was significantly higher in group I than in group II among both urban and rural families (p < 0.001). There was an excess expenditure of Rs 730 and Rs 141, in addition to Rs 4209 and Rs 894 on smoking products in group I families in urban and rural areas, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that the odds ratio for having any health-related expenditure for a group I family was 3.346 (95% confidence interval 2.533-4.420), which was highly significant (p < 0.0001). The differences in loss of work on account of illness and loss of man-days among members of groups I and II were not significant. However, the number of lost school days among children of group I families, loss of efficiency of its members and change of jobs due to loss of efficiency were highly significant. CONCLUSION: The direct healthcare costs as well as the indirect fiscal losses are higher in families with one or more smoker(s).

Cardiac arrhythmias and silent myocardial ischemia during hemodialysis.

Cardiac arrhythmias are noted in a significant proportion of chronic renal failure (CRF) patients on hemodialysis (HD), and may contribute to cardiovascular mortality. A number of factors have been implicated in the genesis of these arrhythmias. The role of silent myocardial ischemia (SMI), however, has not been evaluated systematically. We prospectively studied 38 unselected CRF patients on regular HD by continuous Holter monitoring starting 24 hours before HD, lasting through the dialysis session and continued for 20 hours thereafter. The recordings were analyzed for frequency, timing and severity of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias and SMI as identified by ST-segment depression. Ventricular arrhythmias during HD were noted in 11 (29%) patients (group I), and were potentially life-threatening (Lown Class III and IVa) in 13%. The remaining 27 patients (group II) had no ventricular arrhythmias during HD. There was no difference in the age, sex ratio, duration of HD, blood pressure, fluctuations in weight, hematocrit, predialysis creatinine, sodium, potassium, calcium or inorganic phosphate levels between patients in the two groups. The number of patients with clinical ischemic heart disease was significantly greater in group I. SMI was noted in 72% and 33% of group I and II patients respectively (p = 0.026). 46% of those with and 25% of those without ST changes during HD developed ventricular arrhythmias during HD. Both SMI and ventricular arrhythmias were noted most frequently during the last hour of dialysis. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease were observed more frequently amongst patients with SMI. Ventricular arrhythmias are detected in a significant proportion of CRF patients on HD. These are probably related to coronary artery disease since silent myocardial ischemia is also noted more frequently during HD in these patients. Further studies incorporating coronary angiography are needed in a larger number of patients to establish a definite causal relationship.

Active infective endocarditis observed in an Indian hospital 1981-1991.

Clinical data from 186 patients (133 males and 53 females) with 190 episodes of infective endocarditis (IE) occurring between January 1981 and July 1991 were studied retrospectively at a large referral hospital in Northern India with the intention of highlighting certain essential differences from those reported in the West. The mean age was much lower (25 +/- SD 12 years, range 2 to 75 years). Rheumatic heart disease was the most frequent underlying heart lesion accounting for 79 patients (42%). This was followed by congenital heart disease in 62 (33%) and normal valve endocarditis in 17 (9%). Twenty-four patients had either aortic regurgitation (n = 15) or mitral regurgitation (n = 9) of uncertain etiology. Prosthetic valve infection and mitral valve prolapse were present in only 2 patients each. A definite predisposing factor could be identified in only 28 patients (15%). Postabortal sepsis and sepsis related to childbirth accounted for 6 and 5 cases, respectively. Only 1 patient had history of intravenous drug abuse. Two-dimensional echocardiography showed vegetations in 121 patients (64%). Blood cultures were positive in only 87 (47%), with a total of 90 microbial isolates. Commonest infecting organisms were staphylococci (37 cases) and streptococci (34 cases). Except for a significantly higher number of patients with neurologic complications in the culture-negative group, there were no differences between patients with culture-positive and culture-negative IE. Of the 190 episodes of IE, the patients had received antibiotics before admission in 110 (58%) instances. A significantly greater number of culture-negative patients had received antibiotics than did culture-positive patients (87 vs 23, p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Isosorbide dinitrate spray. Attenuation of cardiovascular responses to laryngoscopy and intubation.

We evaluated the efficacy of isosorbide dinitrate buccal spray (Isomack) in attenuating the cardiovascular response to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation in 60 patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia. Patients were allocated to one of three groups of 20 patients each. Group 1 patients were administered placebo buccal spray 90 s before induction of anaesthesia. Groups 2 and 3 had isosorbide dinitrate spray 30 and 90 s before induction of anaesthesia. Systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressures and heart rate were monitored. After the spray, group 3 patients had a significant decrease in systolic arterial pressure (p less than 0.01). At 1 min after intubation, systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressures showed a significant increase in group 1 patients (24.9 mmHg, 14.2 mmHg and 18.7 mmHg respectively). In contrast, groups 2 and 3 showed a significant decrease in these parameters (p less than 0.01). Although significant tachycardia was present following intubation in all the three groups, the degree of tachycardia was greater in groups 2 and 3 (p less than 0.01).

Profile of right-sided endocarditis: an Indian experience.

The clinical profile of right-sided infective endocarditis in India was studied from a review of records of patients with infective endocarditis admitted to this hospital. From November 1982 to November 1989, 109 patients with infective endocarditis showed vegetations on cross-sectional echocardiography confirming the diagnosis of infective endocarditis. In 19 (17.4%) patients, only the right side of the heart was involved: specifically the tricuspid valve alone in 10; tricuspid and pulmonary valves in 4; tricuspid valve and right ventricular outflow tract in 1; tricuspid valve and right ventricular free wall in 1; pulmonary valve alone in 2; and bifurcation of pulmonary trunk in 1. Eleven patients (57.9%) had underlying congenital heart disease whereas the remaining 8 patients (42.1%) did not have any underlying heart disease. The latter group, therefore, had isolated right-sided infective endocarditis. Previous illnesses leading to isolated right-sided infective endocarditis were: puerperal sepsis in 4; septic abortion in 1; staphylococcal pneumonia in 2; and epididymoorchitis in one. Eight out of 11 patients with congenital heart disease did not report any previous illness. In the remaining 3, right-sided endocarditis followed cardiac surgery in one; dental extraction without prophylaxis in one; and pulmonary balloon valvoplasty in one. All patients with isolated right-sided infective endocarditis had features of septicaemia, but a murmur of tricuspid regurgitation was audible in only 4 (50%) of them. We conclude that, unlike western reports, the pattern of right-sided infective endocarditis in India is different. No drug addict with right-sided infective endocarditis was seen; puerperal sepsis and septic abortion were the commonest causes of isolated right-sided infective endocarditis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Evaluation of pulmonary hypertension in chronic rheumatic mitral regurgitation.

The incidence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in 39 patients with angiographically proven chronic rheumatic mitral regurgitation (MR) is reported. The overall incidence of PAH were found to be 76.9%. There were 51.3% patients with mild, 15.4% with moderate and 10.2% with severe PAH. Pulmonary arterial hypertension was present in 93% of patients below 20 years of age. Clinical and radiological assessment of PAH did not show any correlation with the haemodynamic data. Electrocardiographic right ventricular hypertrophy was seen in 4, and biventricular hypertrophy in 5 patients. All of them had moderate to severe PAH. Echocardiographic left atrial (LA) size showed an inverse correlation with mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) (p less than 0.001), r = 0.63). Presence of mid-systolic notch in pulmonary valve echoes indicated mean PAP more than 37mmHg (mean 54.1 +/- 19.1). Fifty-six percent patients with mid-systolic notch had moderate to severe PAH. Sixteen (94%) out of 17 patients with raised left ventricular end diastolic pressure had elevated mean PAP, and 30% of them had moderate to severe PAH. This data shows that pulmonary hypertension is relatively common in our patients with chronic rheumatic MR, and that the severity of PAH correlates well.

Brain abscess in cyanotic congenital heart disease.

Twenty-eight patients of cyanotic congenital heart disease (CHD) complicated with brain abscess were reviewed. There were 22 males and 6 females with a mean age of 9.1 +/- 5.5 years. Tetralogy of Fallot was the commonest cyanotic CHD observed. Transposition of great arteries (PS), tricuspid atresia with VSD, PS and double outlet right ventricle with VSD comprised 25% of the cardiac lesions. Febrile illness was the commonest mode of presentation (42.86%). Frontal lobe was the commonest site of abscess localization (37.5%) followed by parietal lobe (32.5%). Multiple abscess were seen in 32.14% and in 35.7% the pus was sterile on culture. Twelve patients died (mortality -42.8%), and autopsy reports were available in 6. Infective endocarditis was suspected in 7 on clinical grounds, while at autopsy, out of 6 only 2 had evidence of right-sided endocarditis. There was no correlation of mortality with age, sex, type of micro-organism, site of abscess localization and the nature of heart disease. Multiple abscesses, features of raised intracranial tension and associated meningitis/ventriculitis predicted a grim outcome.

Anatomically isolated aortic valve disease. Morphologic study of 100 cases at autopsy.

Anatomically isolated aortic valve disease accounted for 1.1% of all and 5.2% of cardiac autopsies over a 20 year period. Among a total of 100 symptomatic cases, 52% had congenitally bicuspid, 43% had tricuspid and 5% had congenitally unicuspid valves. Nineteen percent had undergone fibrous sclerosis, including 1% unicuspid, 3% tricuspid and 15% bicuspid valves. Thirty nine percent had been affected by infective endocarditis, including 20 bicuspid and 19 tricuspid valves. The remaining 42 showed fibrocalcification, including 4 unicuspid, 17 bicuspid and 21 tricuspid valves. The nature of the valvular disease showed a correlation with the age of the patient. Infective endocarditis, fibrosis and calcific disease occurred in an ascending age pattern, at average ages of around 30 years, mid to late thirties and mid to late forties, respectively. The lesions occurred much earlier on the bicuspid than on the tricuspid valves, except for infective endocarditis. The bicuspid deformity was not found to make the aortic valve more prone to infection, nor did infection occur earlier on it than on the tricuspid valve. Four of the 100 cases, all tricuspid, were considered to be of rheumatic origin, the reasons for which are discussed. Certain well established associated cardiac lesions were identified.

Topical nitroglycerin. A safeguard against pressor responses to tracheal intubation.

In order to attenuate the pressor response to intubation of the trachea we have studied the effects of 2% nitroglycerin ointment rubbed on the forehead approximately 12 minutes prior to intubation. A double blind, randomized design was used in 56 consecutive patients. Of these, 30 patients received the ointment while 26 patients formed the control group. The maximum rise in the systolic arterial pressure was significantly lower (p less than 0.001) in the group (7.66 mmHg, 6.2%) as compared to the control group (25.7 mmHg, 20.2%). The rise in arterial pressure persisted for up to 4 minutes in the control group, but lasted for only one minute in the nitroglycerine group. The pulse rate, however, increased in both groups to an equal extent. We have found the application of 2% nitroglycerine ointment to be a safe, inexpensive, comfortable and effective means of attenuating the pressor response to intubation of the trachea.