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(Circulation. 2007;116:1865.)
© 2007 American Heart Association, Inc.

Issue Highlights

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

	GLOBAL THEMED ISSUE ON POVERTY AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IMPROVEMENT IN CONGENITAL HEART SURGERY IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY: THE GUATEMALAN EXPERIENCE, by Larrazabal et al.

 
In collaboration with science journals throughout the world and as part of a Global Themed Issue on Poverty and Human Development, this week’s Circulation includes 2 original articles pertinent to this topic. First, the article by Larrazabal et al discusses the progress made in congenital heart disease surgery in Guatemala. This study describes an effort that was made in 1997 to disseminate US pediatric cardiac surgical practices in Guatemala with the objective of examining the reduction in mortality in the new Guatemalan cardiovascular program as compared with similar programs in the United States. When comparing the Guatemalan mortality rate against the United States benchmark (KID 2000 database), a decrease in standardized mortality ratio from 10 in 1997 to 1999 to 5.7 in 2003 to 2004 was observed (P=0.008). The authors address some potential confounders, and despite these potential limitations, the study suggests that, with a dedicated effort, third-world countries can improve the quality of care provided within their borders. See p 1882 (editorials pp 1874 and 1876).

	INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE EVALUATION OF ABDOMINAL OBESITY (IDEA): A STUDY OF WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, AND DIABETES MELLITUS IN 168 000 PRIMARY CARE PATIENTS IN 63 COUNTRIES, by Balkau et al.

 
In the second article, Balkau and colleagues randomly selected primary care physicians to measure waist circumference and body mass index and to record the presence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Of those tested, 24% of the men and 27% of women were determined to be obese, and another 40% of the men and 30% of the women were found to be overweight; also, 29% of the men and 48% of the women had a higher waist circumference. The authors found . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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