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South Asia, consisting of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, spreads between the Himalayan base and the Indian Ocean and shares identical geophysical characteristics. With the inclusion of its newest member Afghanistan, these 8 member nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) share more or less a homogenous geographical, political, and historical background and cultural heritage, with a significant role in shaping the world. This densely populated area is home to around a quarter of the world's total population. From the ancient ages, the neurosurgical practice has paced relentlessly and in the last 100 years, it has reached its zenith. With modern advancements, neurosurgery has developed in its diagnostic and treatment modalities along with facilities for training and education. Despite falling behind owing to economic, educational, and geopolitical constraints, the pioneers of the SAARC region have established the fields of neurosurgery in their respective countries with command. No constraint could stop them from educating and training young physicians to make competent neurosurgeons to evolve the field of neurosurgery in their countries. Their firm determination and hard work paved the way to keep this field striving and thriving, to serve a substantial volume of the world population with their neurosurgical insight and skill. However, this region needs to go a long way as the number of neurosurgeons and facilities is still insufficient. This can be achieved with the guidance and collaboration among the neurosurgeons of the SAARC region as the youth here are talented and hardworking., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: People with diabetes are at risk of developing chronic kidney disease. However, limited data are available to quantify their risk of kidney function decline in South Asia. This study evaluates the rate and predictors of kidney function decline among people with type 2 diabetes in South Asia., Research Design and Methods: We analyzed data from the Centre for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (CARRS) Trial to quantify the rate of decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in people with type 2 diabetes (n=1146) over 2.5 years of follow-up. The CARRS Trial evaluated a multicomponent intervention of decision-supported electronic health records and non-physician care coordinator to improve diabetes management at 10 diabetes clinics in India and Pakistan. We used linear mixed models to estimate eGFR slope among all participants and tested the association of eGFR slope with demographic, disease-related, and self-care parameters, accounting for randomization and site., Results: The mean age of participants was 54.2 years, with a median duration of diabetes of 7.0 years (IQR: 3.0 - 12.0) and median CKD-EPI (Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration) eGFR of 83.6 (IQR: 67.7 to 97.9) mL/min/1.73 m 2 . The overall mean eGFR slope was -1.33/mL/min/1.73 m 2 /year. There were no differences in the eGFR slope by treatment assignment to intervention versus usual care. In the adjusted regression model, pre-existing diabetic retinopathy (slope difference: -2.11; 95% CI: -3.45 to -0.77), previous cardiovascular disease (-1.93; 95% CI: -3.45 to -0.40), and statins use (-0.87; 95% CI: -1.65 to -0.10) were associated with faster eGFR decline., Conclusions: People with diabetes receiving care at urban diabetes clinics in South Asia experienced annual eGFR decline at two times higher rate than that reported from other contemporary international diabetes cohorts. Risk factors for faster decline were similar to those previously established, and thus care delivery models must put an additional emphasis on kidney protective therapies among subgroups with microvascular and macrovascular diabetes complications., Trial Registration Number: NCT01212328., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Diabetes control is poor globally and leads to burdensome microvascular and macrovascular complications. We aimed to assess post hoc between-group differences in sustained risk factor control and macrovascular and microvascular endpoints at 6.5 years in the Center for cArdiovascular Risk Reduction in South Asia (CARRS) randomized trial., Methods and Findings: This parallel group individual randomized clinical trial was performed at 10 outpatient diabetes clinics in India and Pakistan from January 2011 through September 2019. A total of 1,146 patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes (HbA1c ≥8% and systolic BP ≥140 mm Hg and/or LDL-cholesterol ≥130 mg/dL) were randomized to a multicomponent quality improvement (QI) strategy (trained nonphysician care coordinator to facilitate care for patients and clinical decision support system for physicians) or usual care. At 2.5 years, compared to usual care, those receiving the QI strategy were significantly more likely to achieve multiple risk factor control. Six clinics continued, while 4 clinics discontinued implementing the QI strategy for an additional 4-year follow-up (overall median 6.5 years follow-up). In this post hoc analysis, using intention-to-treat, we examined between-group differences in multiple risk factor control (HbA1c <7% plus BP <130/80 mm Hg and/or LDL-cholesterol <100 mg/dL) and first macrovascular endpoints (nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, death, revascularization [angioplasty or coronary artery bypass graft]), which were co-primary outcomes. We also examined secondary outcomes, namely, single risk factor control, first microvascular endpoints (retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy), and composite first macrovascular plus microvascular events (which also included amputation and all-cause mortality) by treatment group and whether QI strategy implementation was continued over 6.5 years. At 6.5 years, assessment data were available for 854 participants (74.5%; n = 417 [intervention]; n = 437 [usual care]). In terms of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, participants in the intervention and usual care groups were similar and participants at sites that continued were no different to participants at sites that discontinued intervention implementation. Patients in the intervention arm were more likely to exhibit sustained multiple risk factor control than usual care (relative risk: 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.45, 2.16), p < 0.001. Cumulatively, there were 233 (40.5%) first microvascular and macrovascular events in intervention and 274 (48.0%) in usual care patients (absolute risk reduction: 7.5% [95% CI: -13.2, -1.7], p = 0.01; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.72 [95% CI: 0.61, 0.86]), p < 0.001. Patients in the intervention arm experienced lower incidence of first microvascular endpoints (HR = 0.68 [95% CI: 0.56, 0.83), p < 0.001, but there was no evidence of between-group differences in first macrovascular events. Beneficial effects on microvascular and composite vascular outcomes were observed in sites that continued, but not sites that discontinued the intervention., Conclusions: In urban South Asian clinics, a multicomponent QI strategy led to sustained multiple risk factor control and between-group differences in microvascular, but not macrovascular, endpoints. Between-group reductions in vascular outcomes at 6.5 years were observed only at sites that continued the QI intervention, suggesting that practice change needs to be maintained for better population health of people with diabetes., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01212328., Competing Interests: I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: MKA has received research support (to Emory University) from Merck and consulting fees from Bayer and Eli Lilly, all outside the scope of this work. SP received research funding in the area of CVD implementation sciences. All other authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Ali et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Monkeypox (mpox), re-emerging zoonotic infectious disease, is striking the world with serious public health concerns, especially in non-endemic countries. The public's knowledge and attitude towards the monkeypox virus (MPXV) influence their adherence to preventive strategies. Therefore, we aimed to assess the public's knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) of MPXV in Pakistan., Methods: We collected data for this cross-sectional study from 1040 participants via online self-reported questionnaire from July 5th, 2022, to August 1st, 2022. The questionnaire consisted of a total of 29 items in four sections, assessing socio-demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding MPXV. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS V.25, and factors associated with MPXV knowledge, attitude, and practices were identified by using logistic regression analyses., Results: A total of 1040 participants were included. 61.4% were male, and 57.2% had graduation level education. Only 34.4% had good knowledge about MPXV, and 30% knew the effectiveness of the smallpox vaccine against MPXV. 41.7% had a positive attitude, 48.6% agreed that it is a fatal disease, and 44.6% were in favour of banning travel from endemic to non-endemic regions. 57.7% had good practices, and 69.9% would use protective measures if MPXV became an epidemic. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that gender and education significantly impacted knowledge (p<0.05). While monthly income status had a significant impact on attitudes (p<0.05). The practices were positively correlated with gender and education (p<0.05)., Conclusion: The majority of study participants had inadequate levels of knowledge, and attitudes regarding MPXV. To prevent the emergence and spread of MPXV in Pakistan, a comprehensive strategic framework for public health education must be established and implemented., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Jamil et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The benefits of large-scale genetic studies for healthcare of the populations studied are well documented, but these genetic studies have traditionally ignored people from some parts of the world, such as South Asia. Here we describe whole genome sequence (WGS) data from 4806 individuals recruited from the healthcare delivery systems of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, combined with WGS from 927 individuals from isolated South Asian populations. We characterize population structure in South Asia and describe a genotyping array (SARGAM) and imputation reference panel that are optimized for South Asian genomes. We find evidence for high rates of reproductive isolation, endogamy and consanguinity that vary across the subcontinent and that lead to levels of rare homozygotes that reach 100 times that seen in outbred populations. Founder effects increase the power to associate functional variants with disease processes and make South Asia a uniquely powerful place for population-scale genetic studies., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Concordance in chronic disease status has been observed within couples. In urban India and Pakistan, little is known about couple concordance in diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidaemia and associated socioeconomic characteristics and modifiable risk factors., Methods: We analysed cross-sectional data from 2548 couples from the Centre for cArdio-metabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia cohort in Chennai, Delhi and Karachi. We estimated couple concordance in presence of ≥1 of diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia (positive concordance: both spouses (W+H+); negative concordance: neither spouse (W-H-); discordant wife: only wife (W+H-); or discordant husband: only husband (W-H+)). We assessed associations of five socioeconomic and household characteristics, and six modifiable risk factors with couple concordance using multinomial logistic regression models with couples as the unit of analysis (reference: W-H-)., Results: Of the couples, 59.4% (95% CI 57.4% to 61.3%) were concordant in chronic conditions (W+H+: 29.2% (95% CI 27.4% to 31.0%); W-H-: 30.2% (95% CI 28.4%- to 32.0%)); and 40.6% (95% CI 38.7% to 42.6%) discordant (W+H-: 13.1% (95% CI 11.8% to 14.4%); W-H+: 27.6% (95% CI 25.9% to 29.4%)). Compared with couples with no conditions (W-H-), couples had higher relative odds of both having at least one condition if they had higher versus lower levels of: income (OR 2.03 (95% CI 1.47 to 2.80)), wealth (OR 2.66 (95% CI 1.98 to 3.58)) and education (wives' education: OR 1.92 (95% CI 1.29 to 2.86); husbands' education: OR 2.98 (95% CI 1.92 to 4.66)) or weight status (overweight or obesity in both spouses ORs 7.17 (95% CI 4.99 to 10.30))., Conclusions: Positive couple concordance in major chronic conditions is high in urban India and Pakistan, especially among couples with relatively higher socioeconomic position. This suggests that prevention and management focusing on couples at high risk for concordant chronic conditions may be effective and more so in higher socioeconomic groups., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Introduction: Prevalence rates for diabetes mellitus continue to rise, which, coupled with increasing costs of complications, has appreciably increased expenditure in recent years. Poor glycaemic control including hypoglycaemia enhances complication rates and associated morbidity, mortality and costs. Consequently, this needs to be addressed. Whilst the majority of patients with diabetes have type-2 diabetes, a considerable number of patients with diabetes require insulin to help control their diabetes. Long-acting insulin analogues were developed to reduce hypoglycaemia associated with insulin and help improve adherence, which can be a concern. However, their considerably higher costs have impacted on their funding and use, especially in countries with affordability issues. Biosimilars can help reduce the costs of long-acting insulin analogues thereby increasing available choices. However, the availability and use of long-acting insulin analogues can be affected by limited price reductions versus originators and limited demand-side initiatives to encourage their use. Consequently, we wanted to assess current utilisation rates for long-acting insulin analogues, especially biosimilars, and the rationale for patterns seen, across multiple Asian countries ranging from Japan (high-income) to Pakistan (lower-income) to inform future strategies., Methodology: Multiple approaches including assessing utilization and prices of insulins including biosimilars among six Asian countries and comparing the findings especially with other middle-income countries., Results: Typically, there was increasing use of long-acting insulin analogues among the selected Asian countries. This was especially the case enhanced by biosimilars in Bangladesh, India, and Malaysia reflecting their perceived benefits. However, there was limited use in Pakistan due to issues of affordability similar to a number of African countries. The high use of biosimilars in Bangladesh, India and Malaysia was helped by issues of affordability and local production. The limited use of biosimilars in Japan and Korea reflects limited price reductions and demand-side initiatives similar to a number of European countries., Conclusions: Increasing use of long-acting insulin analogues across countries is welcomed, adding to the range of insulins available, which increasingly includes biosimilars. A number of activities are needed to enhance the use of long-acting insulin analogue biosimilars in Japan, Korea and Pakistan.

Background: Diabetes mellitus rates continue to rise, which coupled with increasing costs of associated complications has appreciably increased global expenditure in recent years. The risk of complications are enhanced by poor glycaemic control including hypoglycaemia. Long-acting insulin analogues were developed to reduce hypoglycaemia and improve adherence. Their considerably higher costs though have impacted their funding and use. Biosimilars can help reduce medicine costs. However, their introduction has been affected by a number of factors. These include the originator company dropping its price as well as promoting patented higher strength 300 IU/ml insulin glargine. There can also be concerns with different devices between the manufacturers. Objective: To assess current utilisation rates for insulins, especially long-acting insulin analogues, and the rationale for patterns seen, across multiple countries to inform strategies to enhance future utilisation of long-acting insulin analogue biosimilars to benefit all key stakeholders. Our approach: Multiple approaches including assessing the utilisation, expenditure and prices of insulins, including biosimilar insulin glargine, across multiple continents and countries. Results: There was considerable variation in the use of long-acting insulin analogues as a percentage of all insulins prescribed and dispensed across countries and continents. This ranged from limited use of long-acting insulin analogues among African countries compared to routine funding and use across Europe in view of their perceived benefits. Increasing use was also seen among Asian countries including Bangladesh and India for similar reasons. However, concerns with costs and value limited their use across Africa, Brazil and Pakistan. There was though limited use of biosimilar insulin glargine 100 IU/ml compared with other recent biosimilars especially among European countries and Korea. This was principally driven by small price differences in reality between the originator and biosimilars coupled with increasing use of the patented 300 IU/ml formulation. A number of activities were identified to enhance future biosimilar use. These included only reimbursing biosimilar long-acting insulin analogues, introducing prescribing targets and increasing competition among manufacturers including stimulating local production. Conclusions: There are concerns with the availability and use of insulin glargine biosimilars despite lower costs. This can be addressed by multiple activities., Competing Interests: MW and JR work for HTA Consulting and MH works for Square Toiletries Limited. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Godman, Haque, Leong, Allocati, Kumar, Islam, Charan, Akter, Kurdi, Vassalo, Bakar, Rahim, Sultana, Deeba, Khan, Alam, Jahan, Kamal, Hasin, Munzur-E-Murshid, Nahar, Haque, Dutta, Abhayanand, Kaur, Rwegerera, Nascimento, Dias Godói, Irfan, Amu, Matowa, Acolatse, Incoom, Sefah, Acharya, Opanga, Njeri, Kimonge, Kwon, Bae, Khuan, Abubakar, Sani, Khan, Hussain, Saleem, Malande, Piloya-Were, Gambogi, Hernandez Ortiz, Alutuli, Kalungia, Hoxha, Marković-Peković, Tubic, Petrova, Tachkov, Laius, Harsanyi, Inotai, Jakupi, Henkuzens, Garuoliene, Gulbinovič, Wladysiuk, Rutkowski, Mardare, Fürst, McTaggart, MacBride-Stewart, Pontes, Zara, Tagoe, Banzi, Wale and Jakovljevic.)

Introduction: We compared diabetes incidence in South Asians aged ≥45 years in urban India (Chennai and Delhi) and Pakistan (Karachi), two low-income and middle-income countries undergoing rapid transition, with blacks and whites in the US, a high-income country., Research Design and Methods: We computed age-specific, sex-specific and body mass index (BMI)-specific diabetes incidence from the prospective Center for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia Study (n=3136) and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (blacks, n=3059; whites, n=9924). We assessed factors associated with incident diabetes using Cox proportional hazards regression., Results: South Asians have lower BMI and waist circumference than blacks and whites (median BMI, kg/m 2 : 24.9 vs 28.2 vs 26.0; median waist circumference, cm 87.5 vs 96.0 vs 95.0). South Asians were less insulin resistant than blacks and whites (age-BMI-adjusted homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, µIU/mL/mmol/L: 2.30 vs 3.45 vs 2.59), and more insulin deficient than blacks but not whites (age-BMI-adjusted homeostasis model assessment of β-cell dysfunction, µIU/mL/mmol/L: 103.7 vs 140.6 vs 103.9). Age-standardized diabetes incidence (cases/1000 person-years (95% CI)) in South Asian men was similar to black men and 1.6 times higher (1.37 to 1.92) than white men (26.0 (22.2 to 29.8) vs 26.2 (22.7 to 29.7) vs 16.1 (14.8 to 17.4)). In South Asian women, incidence was slightly higher than black women and 3 times (2.61 to 3.66) the rate in white women (31.9 (27.5 to 36.2) vs 28.6 (25.7 to 31.6) vs 11.3 (10.2 to 12.3)). In normal weight (BMI <25 kg/m 2 ), diabetes incidence adjusted for age was 2.9 times higher (2.09 to 4.28) in South Asian men, and 5.3 times (3.64 to 7.54) in South Asian women than in white women., Conclusions: South Asian adults have lower BMI and are less insulin resistant than US blacks and whites, but have higher diabetes incidence than US whites, especially in subgroups without obesity. Factors other than insulin resistance (ie, insulin secretion) may play an important role in the natural history of diabetes in South Asians., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Aim: Achievement of treatment targets among individuals with diabetes remains suboptimal in many parts of the globe. We aimed to assess changes in diabetes prevalence and achievement of diabetes care goals in South Asia using two consecutive cross-sectional population-based surveys., Methods: Two representative samples of South Asian adults were recruited using identical methods from Chennai, Delhi, and Karachi in 2010-11 (n = 16,288; response rate-94.7%) and 2015-16 (n = 14,587; response rate-94.0%) through the Center for Cardio-metabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (CARRS) Study. Quality of care goals were defined as HbA 1c <53 mmol/mol (7.0%), blood pressure (BP) control: <140/90 mmHg, lipid control: LDL cholesterol <2.56 mmol/l (100 mg/dl), and self-reported non-smoking., Results: Weighted prevalence of self-reported diabetes increased by 9.0% [13% (95%CI: 13-14) to 15% (14-15)] while that of newly diagnosed diabetes decreased by 16% [6.1% (5.7-6.6) to 5.1% (4.6-5.6)]. There were improvements in achieving glycaemic (25% to 30%, p = 0.002) and lipid (34% to 45%, p < 0.001) goals, but no notable improvements in BP control or smoking status. The proportion of individuals with self-reported diabetes meeting more than one target also increased., Conclusions: Diabetes prevalence continues to grow among urban South Asians and large gaps still exist in the attainment of treatment targets. Concerted policy, systemic, clinical and individual efforts are needed to close these care gaps., (© 2020 Diabetes UK.)

In Pakistan, the burden of influenza was largely unknown, as no formal surveillance system was in place. In 2008, an influenza surveillance system was set up in eight sentinel sites. This study describes the epidemiology of influenza virus using a 10-year surveillance data from 2008 to 2017. Nasopharyngeal/throat swabs were collected from patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) along with relevant epidemiological information. The samples were tested using real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for the detection and characterization of influenza viruses. A total of 17 209 samples were tested for influenza, out of which 3552 (20.6%) were positive; 2151/11 239 (19.1%) were patients with ILI, whereas 1401/5970 (23.5%) were patients with SARI. Influenza A/H1N1pdm09 was the predominant strain with 40.6% (n = 1442) followed by influenza B (936, 26.4%). Influenza A/H1N1pdm09 was predominant among the children (5-14 years) and adults (15-64 years). Influenza B strain was predominantly found in the elderly age group (≥ 65 years) accounting for 48% of cases followed by children (2-4 years) accounting for 37% of cases. This 10-year surveillance data provides evidence of influenza activity in the country throughout the year with seasonal winter peaks. The results could be used to strengthen the epidemic preparedness and response plan., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Aims: To evaluate whether and what combinations of diabetes quality metrics were achieved in a multicentre trial in South Asia evaluating a multicomponent quality improvement intervention that included non-physician care coordinators to promote adherence and clinical decision-support software to enhance physician practices, in comparision with usual care., Methods: Using data from the Centre for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (CARRS) trial, we evaluated the proportions of trial participants achieving specific and combinations of five diabetes care targets (HbA 1c <53 mmol/mol [7%], blood pressure <130/80 mmHg, LDL cholesterol <2.6 mmol/L, non-smoking status, and aspirin use). Additionally, we examined the proportions of participants achieving the following risk factor improvements from baseline: ≥11-mmol/mol (1%) reduction in HbA 1c , ≥10-mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure, and/or ≥0.26-mmol/l reduction in LDL cholesterol., Results: Baseline characteristics were similar in the intervention and usual care arms. Overall, 12.3%, 29.4%, 36.5%, 19.5% and 2.2% of participants in the intervention group and 16.2%, 38.3%, 31.6%, 11.3% and 0.8% of participants in the usual care group achieved any one, two, three, four or five targets, respectively. We noted sizeable improvements in HbA 1c , blood pressure and cholesterol, and found that participants in the intervention group were twice as likely to achieve improvements in all three indices at 12 months that were sustained over 28 months of the study [relative risk 2.1 (95% CI 1.5,2.8) and 1.8 (95% CI 1.5,2.3), respectively]., Conclusions: The intervention was associated with significantly higher achievement of and greater improvements in composite diabetes quality care goals. However, among these higher-risk participants, very small proportions achieved the complete group of targets, which suggests that achievement of multiple quality-of-care goals is challenging and that other methods may be needed in closing care gaps., (© 2019 Diabetes UK.)

Objective: To estimate average annual expenditures per person, total economic burden and distress health financing associated with the treatment of five cardio-metabolic diseases (CMDs-hypertension, diabetes, heart disease (angina, myocardial infarction and heart failure), stroke and chronic kidney disease) in three metropolitan cities in South Asia., Design: Cross-sectional surveys., Setting: We analysed community-based baseline data from the Centre for cArdio-metabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (CARRS) Study collected in 2010-2011 representing Chennai and New Delhi (India), and Karachi (Pakistan)., Participants: We used data from non-pregnant adults (≥20 years) from the aforementioned cities that responded to a cost-of-illness questionnaire. We estimated health utilisation and expenditures among those reporting taking treatment(s) for the aforementioned CMDs in the last 1 year. We converted all costs to International Dollars (Int$ 2011) and inflated to 2018 values. The annual costs per person were stratified by city, sociodemographic characteristics, contributor of costs and financing methods. The total economic burden of CMDs for each city was projected using age-standardised prevalence and per-person costs of diseases reported in CARRS, applying these to population data from the most recent census. We also calculated distress financing (DF) as having to borrow or sell assets to pay for CMD treatment and identified sociodemographic groups at most risk of DF using multiple regression., Results: Of 16 287 CARRS participants, 2883 (17.7%) reported receiving treatment for CMDs. The total annual expenditures reported per patient for CMDs ranged from Int$358 to Int$2425. Medications constituted 46% of total direct expenditures and out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures accounted for nearly 80% of financing these health expenditures. Total economic burdens of CMDs were Int$0.42 billion, Int$3.4 billion and Int$1.4 billion in Chennai, New Delhi and Karachi, respectively. Overall, 36.1% experienced DF, and women (OR=4.4), unemployed (OR=10.7) and uninsured (OR=8.1) adults experienced higher odds of DF., Conclusion: CMDs are associated with large economic burdens in South Asia. Due to most payments coming from OOP expenditures and limited insurance, the odds of DF are high., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: We report the prevalence, risk factors and mortality associated with multimorbidity in urban South Asian adults., Methods: Hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and chronic kidney disease were measured at baseline in a sample of 16 287 adults ages ≥20 years in Delhi, Chennai and Karachi in 2010-11 followed for an average of 38 months. Multimorbidity was defined as having ≥2 chronic conditions at baseline. We identified correlates of multimorbidity at baseline using multinomial logistic models, and we assessed the prospective association between multimorbidity and mortality using Cox proportional hazards models., Results: The adjusted prevalence of multimorbidity was 9.4%; multimorbidity was highest in adults who were aged ≥60 years (37%), consumed alcohol (12.3%), body mass index ≥25 m/kg2 (14.1%), high waist circumference (17.1%) and had family history of a chronic condition (12.4%). Compared with adults with no chronic conditions, the fully adjusted relative hazard of death was twice as high in adults with two morbidities (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.6, 3.3) and thrice as high in adults with ≥3 morbidities (HR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.9, 5.1)., Conclusion: Multimorbidity affects nearly 1 in 10 urban South Asians, and each additional morbidity carries a progressively higher risk of death. Identifying locally appropriate strategies for prevention and coordinated management of multimorbidity will benefit population health in the region., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background and Objectives: To determine how frequently diabetic diets are recommended to individuals with diabetes in South Asia, whether they are followed, and if they are associated with healthier dietary choices and clinical benefits., Methods and Study Design: Data are from the Centre for cArdiometabolic Risk Reduction in South-Asia Cohort Study. Participants with self-reported physician-diagnosed diabetes (n=1849) were divided into four groups based on whether they reported being prescribed and/or were following a diabetic diet. Linear regression was used to estimate associations between these groups and outcomes., Results: 53% of participants with self-reported diabetes reported not being prescribed or following a diabetic diet. Among those prescribed and following a diet, mean whole grain consumption was 1.18 times/day and refined grain consumption was 0.75 times/day compared to 0.88 times/day and 1.74 times/day, respectively, among those neither prescribed nor following a diet (both p<0.0001). Following a diet despite not being prescribed a diet was not associated with glycemic control, blood pressure, or body mass index, but was associated with a -8.54 mg/dL (95% confidence interval: -15.5, -1.58) lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared to not following and not being prescribed a diet after adjustment for confounders., Conclusion: Though participants who were prescribed diabetic diets and followed them exhibited healthier dietary choices, the majority of participants with diabetes in urban South Asia was neither prescribed nor followed such diets. Moreover, there was no statistically significant clinical benefit, thus indicating that current dietary modifications may not be large enough or consistent enough to produce meaningful changes in health outcomes in this population.

Background: In the context of rising obesity in South Asia, it is unclear whether the "South Asian phenotype"(described as high glucose, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high triglycerides at normal ranges of body weight) continues to be disproportionately exhibited by contemporary South Asians relative to other race/ethnic groups., Objectives: We assessed the distinctiveness of the South Asian cardiometabolic profile by comparing the prevalence of combined high glucose, high triglycerides, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (combined dysglycemia and dyslipidemia) in resident South Asians with 4 race/ethnic groups in the United States (Asians, black persons, Hispanics, and white persons) overall and by body mass index (BMI) category., Methods: South Asian data were from the 2010 to 2011 Center for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia Study, representative of Chennai and New Delhi, India and Karachi, Pakistan. U.S. data were from the 2011 to 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, representative of the U.S., Population: Combined dysglycemia and dyslipidemia was defined as fasting blood glucose ≥126 mg/dl and triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio >4. Logistic regression was used to estimate the relative odds and 95% confidence intervals of combined dysglycemia and dyslipidemia associated with each race/ethnic group (referent, U.S. white persons). Models were estimated among adults aged 20 to 79 years by sex and BMI category and accounted for age, education, and tobacco use. Data from 8,448 resident South Asians, 274 U.S. Asians, 404 U.S. black persons, 308 U.S. Hispanics, and 703 U.S. white persons without previously known diabetes were analyzed., Results: In the normal body weight range of BMI 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m(2), the prevalence of combined dysglycemia and dyslipidemia among men and women, respectively, was 33% and 11% in resident South Asians, 15% and 1% in U.S. Asians, 5% and 2% in U.S. black persons, 11% and 2% in U.S. Hispanics, and 8% and 2% in U.S. white persons. Compared with U.S. whites persons, South Asians were more likely to present with combined dysglycemia and dyslipidemia at all categories of BMI for men and at BMI 18.5 to 29.9 for women in adjusted models. The most pronounced difference between South Asians and U.S. white persons was observed at normal weight (adjusted odds ratio: 4.98; 95% confidence interval: 2.46 to 10.07 for men) (adjusted odds ratio: 9.09; 95% confidence interval: 2.48 to 33.29 for women)., Conclusions: Between 8% and 15% of U.S. men and 1% and 2% of U.S. women of diverse race/ethnic backgrounds exhibited dysglycemia and dyslipidemia at levels of body weight considered "healthy," consistent with the cardiometabolic profile described as the "South Asian Phenotype." Urban South Asians, however, were 5 to 9 times more likely to exhibit dysglycemia and dyslipidemia in the "healthy" BMI range compared with any other U.S. race/ethnic group., (Copyright © 2016 World Heart Federation (Geneva). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We have characterized the mutations in 1050 carriers of the beta-thalassemia gene and analyzed their regional distribution in India. The majority of beta-thalassemia carriers were migrants from Pakistan and their pattern of mutations differed from the rest. The frequency of the 619-bp deletion was 33.3% among the migrants from Pakistan, 8-17% in the northern states, and less than 5% in the other states. Among non-migrant subjects, the predominant mutation was IVS-I-5 (G-->C), varying from 85% in the southern states and 66-70% in the eastern states to 47-60% in the northern states. The mutation IVS-I-1 (G-->T) was observed at high frequency among the migrants from Pakistan (26.2%), but with very low/zero frequency in the other states. Mutations at codons 8/9 (+G) and codons 41/42 (-CTTT) were distributed in all regions of India with a frequency varying from 3% to 15%. Only eight of 12 published rare mutations were observed in subjects from different parts of India. Mutations of codon 5 (-CT) and codons 47/48 (+ATCT) were found exclusively in migrants from Pakistan, and mutation -88 (C-->T) was detected only in subjects from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Using the amplification refractory mutation system technique, mutations were successfully identified in 98.2% of subjects. Overall, 91.8% of the subjects had one of the five commonest mutations [IVS-I-5 (G-->C), 34.1%; 619-bp deletion, 21.0%; IVS-I-1 (G-->T) 15.8%; codons 8/9 (+G), 12.1%, and codons 41/42 (-CTTT), 8.7%], 5.9% of the subjects had a less common mutation, while 1.8% of the carriers remained uncharacterized. The application of this knowledge has helped to successfully establish a program of genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassemia in order to reduce the burden of this disease in India.