CCDC - Centre for Chronic Disease Control

Ongoing Projects

Millennium Promise Awards: Non-communicable Chronic Diseases Research Training Program

National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA, awarded a D43 grant titled 'Millennium Promise Awards: Non-communicable Chronic Diseases Research Training Program' to Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC) in 2009. This project will address the acute shortage of post-doctoral and junior faculty research capacity in India with focus on non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The proposed interdisciplinary training program will focus on the epidemiology and prevention of NCD across the life-course, in cross-connecting subject areas (child health; nutrition and lifestyle, environmental health, obesity and diabetes, stroke and other vascular diseases) and population science disciplines (epidemiology and biostatistics; clinical trials; translation research, social sciences, and economics).

The program will have two components: (1) Short-term training for junior faculty researchers for four months at Emory University, Atlanta, to acquire specific and focused mentoring and research skills. (2) Long-term training for post-doctoral fellows for 24 months (four months at Emory University in the first year, six weeks at Emory University in the second year, and the remaining 18.5 months in India). Collaboration with Emory University will compliment India-based mentoring and training, and permit transfer of skills and expertise in specific areas.

The program emphasizes on retaining talented young scientists in India, enabling them to develop world-class research skills in an India-based training program, facilitating international collaborations, and providing end-of-training grants to promote in-country research projects. The program will have a cascade effect, as the trainees will serve as a resource upon completion of the program, disseminating knowledge and skills to other researchers at in-country institutions.

STICH trial

The STICH trial was a multicentric trial conducted at 170 sites in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, South America, and several countries of Asia, and Israel. A total of 2,245 patients were recruited from all over the world. A total of 300 patients were recruited from ten different sites in India. CCDC in collaboration with Duke Clinical Research Institute was responsible for establishing a network of investigators in India. It also coordinated the project at the national level. (Funding Agency: NIH)

DEMAT

Detection and Management of Coronary Heart Disease patients (DEMAT) in India. This is a nationwide disease registry for acute coronary syndromes in India. The DEMAT program was designed in year 2006 with an objective to understand the prevailing practice patterns in the management of Coronary Heart Disease patients. It also envisions to help physicians identify in-hospital trends of interventional procedures (PCI, stent, CABG, etc.), and assess therapy as aggressive versus conventional management. DEMAT would help in relating the practice patterns and compliance to treatment, obtain an estimate of six months mortality, identify lacunae and develop evidence based guidelines for management. CCDC is responsible for coordination of research activities, monitoring of data collection process, source data verification, data management and data analysis of the study. (Funded by MSD pharmaceuticals)

Completed Projects of CCDC

Quality Improvement Initiative in Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes: Costs and Outcomes of an Intervention to Train and Supply a non-Tertiary Care Facility for Risk Stratification, Initial Treatment, and Referral of Acute Coronary Syndromes in India was conducted. CCDC was the nodal agency responsible for smooth functioning of the project. (Funded by IC Health and WHO)

ADVANCE Study: It is an international, multi centric, factorial, randomized trial of blood pressure lowering and intensive glucose control for the prevention of vascular disease among high risk patients with Type 2 diabetes. International coordination is provided by the George Institute for International Health in Sydney, Australia with central data management provided by the clinical trials research unit in Auckland, New Zealand. The study aims to assess the effects of routine administration of ACE inhibitor- diuretic combination on serious vascular events in patients with diabetes. This trial is being done by 215 collaborating centres in 20 countries. CCDC is responsible for the national coordination of this project. . Between 2002 to 2008 CCDC has received nearly USD 0.90 million, which includes payment to the four study centers and payment to the coordinating centre. (Funding Agency: George Institute for International Health, Sydney, Australia).

Establishment of Sentinel Surveillance system for cardiovascular diseases in Indian industrial population:

The first phase of the project involved the establishment of morbidity and mortality surveillance system and the conduct of a survey of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other risk factors in ten different sites in India. The second phase involves the evaluation of a health promotion programme in these industries. This study has the endorsement of World Health organization and Ministry of Health, Government of India. CCDC is responsible for coordination, data collection, data management and data analysis of the study. CCDC has received a total grant of nearly USD 0.24 million for this project from 2002-2008. Two of the three phases including collection of baseline data, health promotion and health care interventions are over. Surveillance for mortality and morbidity due to cardiovascular diseases is currently being undertaken (Funding agency: WHO)

South Delhi initiative project – This is a Chronic disease detection and prevention programme for Malviya Nagar Residents, New Delhi. This is again a vascular risk reduction programme at the community level. CCDC was responsible for coordination of research activities, data collection, data management and data analysis of the study. (Funding agency WHO)

Comprehensive Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Programme (CCRRP) at National Thermal Power Corporation, Delhi: This is a quasi experimental demonstration project to assess the impact of a comprehensive cardiovascular risk reduction package. The package is implemented as a well being programme for employees (2500 employees) working in a large public sector unit in Delhi and their family members. CCDC is responsible for coordination of research activities, data collection, data management and data analysis of the study. (Funding agency: IC Health and NTPC)

Zyban : An Effective Smoking Cessation Aid for Patients Following an Acute Coronary Syndrome: The ZESCA Trial - The trial aims to examine the smoking abstinence rates at one-year following an enzyme positive Acute Coronary Syndrome. This is a phase IV multi-country trial which was initiated in December 2005 and is proposed to enroll 1500 patients by December 2010. Countries involved are United States, Bangladesh, Canada, India, Ireland and Tunisia. The study is being run by Jewish General Hospital/McGill University (Montreal, Quebec), Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. In India trial is being run at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.

India Health Study: It is a feasibility study for a prospective cohort in Delhi, India. It involves evaluation of conducting chronic disease and diet research in India and detailed characterization of the Indian Diet, particularly with relevance to cancer; and evaluation of follow-up. The study also aims to evaluate likelihood of cancers and other chronic diseases, assessing movement pattern and traceability of Indian population and understand methods of case ascertainment. CCDC is responsible for the coordination of research activities, conduct of the feasibility assessment, data collection and data compilation. Since 2006 CCDC has received nearly USD 0.12 million towards this project (Funding agency: NIH)

Indian Migrants study: It is a sib comparison, within country migration study to understand the impact of migration on cardiovascular disease risk factors in India. CCDC is responsible for coordination of research activities, monitoring of data collection process, source data verification, and data management of the study. This is being conducted in collaboration with Bristol University, UK. The scientific aim of the study is to elucidate the effects of within-country migration on obesity and diabetes mellitus in India. The main hypothesis to be considered is that risks of developing obesity and diabetes among migrants from rural to urban areas are due to differential migration conditions and subsequent social and economic changes that mediate changes in dietary intake and physical activity patterns. Since 2004, CCDC has received a grant of nearly USD 0.80 million towards the cost of this project. (Funded by Wellcome Trust)

Rural Andhra Pradesh Cardiovascular Prevention Study – CCDC is working in collaboration with Byrraju Foundation to provide technical assistance for the project on Primary Health Care in Rural Andhra Pradesh. A surveillance to analyze the causes of death using verbal autopsy is currently underway in rural Andhra Pradesh since 2003. This survey formed the baseline for RAPCAPS (Rural Andhra Pradesh Cardiovascular Prevention Study). Cardiovascular disease prevention program is being undertaken as the next phase of the project. (Funded by George Institute for International Health, Sydney)

Omega – 3 Supplementation Trial : Effect of Omega -3 fatty acids supplements and plant sterol enriched drink/food on the composite risk profile of dyslipidemic adults was studied. It was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 2×2 factorial design. We had randomised 178 dyslipidemic adults in the follow up visits have been completed. CCDC was responsible for the coordination and conducting the trial. Data management and data analysis of the study was also taken up by CCDC. (Funding Agency: Hindustan Lever Ltd)