Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

The influence of number of camps and number of animals on animal production and veld condition.

Four grazing systems with 3, 6, 12, and 18 paddocks per flock which vary from a slow season based grazing pattern to a quick rotational system, with a moderate heavy stocking rate were conducted at Glen Agricultural Research Institute for seven years, started in 1967. Animal production of Merino wethers and veld condition were the main measurements. No definite trend could be found between the number of camps but higher production per animal was obtained with the moderate stocking rate, but not per ha. Veld in good condition can be grazed according to any veld management system at the correct stocking rate as long as the rest period is sufficient. The same tendency was obtained with the liveweight.Keywords: afrikaans; animal production; condition; glen; glenagricultural research institute; grazing pattern; grazing systems; merino; number of camps; season; south africa; stocking rate; veld condition; veld managemen

The effect of seasonal grazing on the infiltration capacity of soils in a Cymbopogon-Themeda veld.

The long term effects of grazing during fixed seasons and combinations of the seasons, on the infiltration capacity of soils in a Cymbopogon-Themeda veld in the Central O.F.S., were investigated. Two field experiments were grazed by Merino sheep and Afrikaner cattle respectively. Each experiment was a 2 4 factorial layout with grazing and resting as treatments. All possible combinations of spring, summer, autumn and winter served as the 16 treatments. The infiltration measurements were determined by means of a flood type concentric ring infiltrometer. The results showed that grazing during any one of the seasons reduced the infiltration capacity of the soils. The detrimental effects of summer and autumn grazing were, however, larger titan those of winter and spring grazing. Highly significant positive correlations between infiltration capacity and veld condition, as measured in terms of the basal cover of climax grasses, were obtained.Keywords: afrikaans; basal cover; botany; equipment; grasses; grazing; infiltration capacity; infiltrometer; measurements; merino sheep; soils; south africa; treatments; veld conditio