Variations in Ischemic Heart Disease Research by Country, Income, Development and Burden of Disease: A Scientometric Approach

Abstract

Introduction: Ischemic heart diseases (IHDs) are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. However the global burden of IHD has been concentrated on developing countries, where limited research efforts have been made to address these needs. This study aimed to understand the global distribution of IHD research activities by looking at the countries’ burden of disease, income and development data. Methods: As a scientometric study, Scopus database was searched for research publications indexed under the medical subject heading (MeSH) ‘myocardial ischemia’ including the following terms: coronary artery disease, coronary heart disease, and ischemic heart disease. The number of research publications in Scopus database was recorded for each individual year 2000-2012, and for each country. Data for estimated IHD disability-adjusted life-year’s (DALY’s), gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and human development index were also included for the analysis. Results: IHD research publications were most likely produced by European and Western pacific countries. High-income countries produced the greatest share of about 81% of the global IHD research. However, no significant association observed between the countries’ GDP and number of research publications worldwide (OR = 0.98, P = 0.939). Global IHD research found to be strongly associated with the burden of disease (P < 0.0001) and the countries’ HDI values worldwide (OR = 16.8, P = 0.016). Conclusion: Our study suggested that global research on IHD were geographically distributed and highly concentrated among the world’s richest countries. Estimated DALYs and HDI were found as important predictors of IHD research and the key drivers of health research disparities across the world.

Rose Angina Questionnaire: Validation in emergency department to detect myocardial infarction in a tertiary hospital of eastern Nepal

“…1 This burden of CVDs has become increasingly important in low-and middle-income countries as few data exist on the prevalence of a spectrum of ischemic heart disease in developing countries. 2 Myocardial Infarction (MI), one of the five main manifestations of the CHD, other than stable angina pectoris, unstable angina pectoris, heart failure and sudden death, is a common presentation in the emergency. 3 The baseline data on the spectrum of ischemic heart disease in Nepal are few and far between although the CVD has been listed as the top four killers of non-communicable disease.…”

“…Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one cause of death globally with an estimated 17.7 million deaths; 7.4 million of these are due to coronary heart disease (CHD) (see study by the World Health Organization (WHO)) 1 . This burden of CVDs has become increasingly important in low‐ and middle‐income countries as few data exist on the prevalence of a spectrum of ischemic heart disease in developing countries 2 . Myocardial Infarction (MI), one of the five main manifestations of the CHD, other than stable angina pectoris, unstable angina pectoris, heart failure and sudden death, is a common presentation in the emergency 3…”