Alok Kumar Singh

Preface to first issue of Heart India 2018

© 2018 Heart India | Published by Wolters Kluwer ‐ Medknow In this issue of “Heart India,” we are publishing one editorial commentary, three original research articles, and four case reports. In the first editorial commentary, five landmark studies which have published in 2017 have been summarized. In my opinion, these studies will affect cardiology practice in significant ways in the coming year. Numerous studies have shown association between increase in the carotid intima‐media thickness (IMT) and the incidental risk of coronary artery disease (CAD).[1] In the first original research article, Vishwakarma et al. have studied the correlation between carotid ultrasonography findings and SYNTAX score in South Asian patients with CAD. Patients with intermediate and high SYNTAX score had significantly higher mean IMT and plaques score as compared to patients with low SYNTAX score. Significant correlation between SYNTAX score and mean IMT and plaque score was reported. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (P‐PCI) is the treatment of choice for patients with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). About 40%–60% of the patients undergoing percutaneous revascularization have multivessel disease (MVD), which is an adverse prognostic predictor of long‐term outcome.[2] In the second original research article, authors have studied the clinical effectiveness of complete revascularization versus infarct‐related artery‐only percutaneous coronary revascularization for MVD STEMI. The authors of this study have reported that, in patients presenting for P‐PCI with MVD, complete revascularization at index admission significantly lowered the rate of the primary composite endpoint at 24 months compared with treating IRA‐only. Thalassemia is the most common genetic disorder worldwide. Regular transfusion therapy, while improving patient’s quality of life, creates a state of iron overload. Once reticuloendothelial stores saturate, iron deposition increases in the parenchymal tissues such as endocrine glands, hepatocytes, and myocardium. Cardiac iron deposition produces arrhythmias, systolic and diastolic dysfunction, and congestive heart failure in the second or third life decade. Panda et al. in the third original research article concluded that patients with left ventricular dysfunction had a younger age of onset of disease, higher ferritin levels, lower blood pressure, and paradoxically higher body mass index as compared to patients with normal left ventricular dysfunction.

Preface to Fourth Issue of Heart India 2014

Heart India, Vol 2 / Issue 4 / Oct-Dec 2014 The diagonal earlobe crease (DELC) has been proposed to be a marker of coronary artery disease (CAD), but this association remains controversial. Montazeri et al. from Iran in third original research article tried to evaluate the frequency of DELC in patients with CAD. Eighty patients with angiographically documented CAD from Borujerd were evaluated for the presence or absence of DELC. The DELC was said to be present if the patient had a deep diagonal crease extending obliquely from the outer ear canal toward the border of the earlobe without discontinuity covering at least two-thirds of the ear lobe length. The frequency of DELC in patients with CAD was high in this study. Authors of this study have suggested that the DELC sign may be a useful physical marker for the screening of CAD patients.