Letter To the Editor,
We've thoroughly read Sasikumar et al.'s article [1] titled “Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Tamil Nadu, India,” and we commend the authors for their insightful work. The study effectively associates cardiovascular diseases with various risk factors in the Tamil Nadu population, categorizing them into four groups based on their 10-year risk of cardiovascular events. Authors did a wonderful job, but we have a few points that we would like to discuss.
It's important to consider the potential for bias in findings, particularly when comparing the diagnosis criteria for diabetes. In this paper [1], diabetes diagnosis relied solely on measuring random sugar levels at a threshold of 143 mg%, while another study [2] employed a more comprehensive approach. In that study [2], diabetes was defined using multiple criteria, including fasting plasma glucose levels exceeding 7 mmol/l, 2-hour plasma glucose levels exceeding 11.1 mmol/l, and an HbA1c level exceeding 6.5 %.
While the authors identified diabetes, hypertension, and obesity as key risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), they overlooked an opportunity to discuss the role of iron metabolism in heart failure. It's important because therapies like blood transfusions and excessive iron supplements can lead to the buildup of non-transferrin bound iron in cardiac cells, causing harm [3]. Addressing this aspect would have provided a more complete picture of CVD risk factors and potential interventions.
The adverse effects of various medications can give rise to cardiotoxicity, with doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy being a significant concern, potentially presenting both acutely and chronically [4]. However, the current study did not mention the drug history of its participants, which could have shed light on the potential causes of cardiotoxicity within the cohort.
Additionally, it would have been beneficial if the authors had addressed myxoma, the most prevalent primary cardiac tumor in adults. Discussing its relevance could have added depth to the study's exploration of cardiac conditions.
Declaration of competing interest
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Acknowledgments
Acknowledgement
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Funding
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References
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