Reperfusion therapy and mortality in octogenarian STEMI patients: results from the Belgian STEMI registry

Implementation of the ESC STEMI guidelines in female and elderly patients over a 20-year period in a large German registry

AIMS

We investigated the implementation of new guidelines in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients in a large real-world patient population in the metropolitan area of Berlin (Germany) over a 20-year period.

METHODS

From January 2000 to December 2019, a total of 25 792 patients were admitted with STEMI to one of the 34 member hospitals of the Berlin-Brandenburg Myocardial Infarction Registry (B2HIR) and were stratified for sex and age < 75 and ≥ 75 years.

RESULTS

The median age of women was 72 years (IQR 61-81) compared to 61 years in men (IQR 51-71). PCI treatment as a standard of care was implemented in men earlier than in women across all age groups. It took two years from the 2017 class IA ESC STEMI guideline recommendation to prefer the radial access route rather than femoral until > 60% of patients were treated accordingly. In 2019, less than 60% of elderly women were treated via a radial access. While the majority of patients < 75 years already received ticagrelor or prasugrel as antiplatelet agent in the year of the class IA ESC STEMI guideline recommendation in 2012, men ≥ 75 years lagged two years and women ≥ 75 three years behind. Amongst the elderly, in-hospital mortality was 22.6% (737) for women and 17.3% (523) for men (p < 0.001). In patients < 75 years fatal outcome was less likely with 7.2% (305) in women and 5.8% (833) in men (p < 0.001). After adjustment for confounding variables, female sex was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients ≥ 75 years (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.12-1.68, p = 0.002), but not in patients < 75 years (p = 0.076).

CONCLUSION

In-hospital mortality differs considerably by age and sex and remains highest in elderly patients and in particular in elderly females. In these patient groups, guideline recommended therapies were implemented with a significant delay.

Two-Year clinical outcomes after coronary bifurcation stenting in older patients from Korea and Italy

Background

Older patients who treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are at a higher risk of adverse cardiac outcomes. We sought to investigate the clinical impact of bifurcation PCI in older patients from Korea and Italy.

Methods

We selected 5,537 patients who underwent bifurcation PCI from the BIFURCAT (comBined Insights from the Unified RAIN and COBIS bifurcAtion regisTries) database. The primary outcome was a composite of target vessel myocardial infarction, clinically driven target lesion revascularization, and stent thrombosis at two years.

Results

In patients aged ≥75 years, the mean age was 80.1 ± 4.0 years, 65.2% were men, and 33.7% had diabetes. Older patients more frequently presented with chronic kidney disease (CKD), severe coronary calcification, and left main coronary artery disease (LMCA). During a median follow-up of 2.1 years, older patients showed similar adverse clinical outcomes compared to younger patients (the primary outcome, 5.7% vs. 4.5%; p = 0.21). Advanced age was not an independent predictor of the primary outcome (p = 0.93) in overall patients. Both CKD and LMCA were independent predictors regardless of age group.

Conclusions

Older patients (≥75 years) showed similar clinical outcomes to those of younger patients after bifurcation PCI. Advanced age alone should not deter physicians from performing complex PCIs for bifurcation disease.

Age-Related Mortality in STEMI Patients: Insight from One Year of HUB Centre Experience during the Pandemic

Background: Old patients have a poor prognosis when affected by ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of age on acute and mid-term mortality in STEMI patients over one year in the pandemic period. Methods: we collected data on 283 STEMI patients divided into three groups according to age (not old, “Not-O”, ≤74 y/o; old, “O”, 75−84 y/o; very old, “Very-O”, ≥85 y/o). Results: the three groups did not differ in their clinical or procedural characteristics. The Very-O patients had a significantly increased incidence of in-hospital MACE (35%), mortality (30.0%), and percentage of cardiac death (25.0%). The only two independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were the ejection fraction (EF) [OR:0.902 (95% CI) 0.868−0.938; p < 0.0001] and COVID-19 infection [OR:3.177 (95% CI) 1.212−8.331; p = 0.019]. At follow-up (430 +/− days), the survival rates were decreased significatively among the age groups (Not-O 2.9% vs. O 14.8% vs. Very-O 28.6%; p < 0.0001), and the only two independent predictors of the follow-up mortality were the EF [OR:0.935 (95% CI) 0.891−0.982; p = 0.007] and age [OR:1.06 (95% CI) 1.018−1.110; p = 0.019]. Conclusions: in very old patients, all the accessory procedures that may be performed should be accurately and independently weighed up in terms of the risk−benefit balance and the real impact on the quality of life because of the poor mid-term prognosis.

Management of acute coronary syndromes in older adults

Older patients are underrepresented in prospective studies and randomized clinical trials of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Over the last decade, a few specific trials have been conducted in this population, allowing more evidence-based management. Older adults are a heterogeneous, complex, and high-risk group whose management requires a multidimensional clinical approach beyond coronary anatomic variables. This review focuses on available data informing evidence-based interventional and pharmacological approaches for older adults with ACS, including guideline-directed management. Overall, an invasive approach appears to demonstrate a better benefit-risk ratio compared to a conservative one across the ACS spectrum, even considering patients' clinical complexity and multiple comorbidities. Conversely, more powerful strategies of antithrombotic therapy for secondary prevention have been associated with increased bleeding events and no benefit in terms of mortality reduction. An interdisciplinary evaluation with geriatric assessment should always be considered to achieve a holistic approach and optimize any treatment on the basis of the underlying biological vulnerability.

Chest pain and acute coronary syndrome in octogenarians admitted to the Emergency Department

BACKGROUND

Although chest pain and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are among the most common complaints in the Emergency Departments (ED), little is known about this topic in the octogenarian population.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to describe the clinical presentation and to evaluate survival time according to the ACS type in a group of 80-year-old or over patients admitted for chest pain to an ED.

METHODS

Patients were classified according to the discharge diagnosis. A multivariable Cox regression analysis was done to assess the association between ACS type and mortality with the non-ACS chest pain group as the reference category.

RESULTS

ACS was diagnosed in 170 of the 391 patients analyzed and 51% of ACS patients were female. Within the ACS patients, 18.8% presented STEMI, 57% NSTEMI, and 24% unstable angina (UA). Most of the patients were treated conservatively. In the adjusted analysis, the incidence of death at 40 months of follow-up was higher in patients with STEMI (HR 3.24; CI 1.59-6.56) than NSTEMI (HR 2.53; CI 1.56-4.11). There was no difference between patients with UA and the non-ACS group (HR 0.64; CI 0.26-1.58), and myocardial revascularization was associated with reduced mortality risk (HR 0.45; CI 0.22-0.92).

CONCLUSIONS

A high prevalence of ACS was found among octogenarians admitted to the ED with chest pain, and the ACS type behaved as an independent predictor of mortality. Patients with UA diagnosis had a similar prognosis to patients with non-ACS chest pain, but this needs to be demonstrated by a prospective study.

The mortality rates in registries of patients with STEMI are highly affected by inclusion criteria and population characteristics

BACKGROUND

Different mortality rates are reported in registries of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), but comparisons between registries are challenging.

AIMS

To determine whether the higher mortality rate in our regional French registry (SCALIM) is related to different inclusion criteria and demographic characteristics.

METHODS

The SCALIM registry included all patients with STEMI within the first 24 h in the region of Limousin, France (06/2011-01/2015). To compare mortality rates with other contemporary registries in France and European neighbouring countries, the others' inclusion criteria were applied to the SCALIM registry.

RESULTS

Among 1501 patients included, in-hospital and 1-month mortality were 8.2% and 8.8% respectively, significantly higher than many other registries. The use of inclusion criteria from EMUST (France), MINAP (UK) or LOMBARDIMA (Italy) markedly decreased the number of enrolled patients by 64%, 36%, and 21%, respectively. When those inclusion criteria were applied to the SCALIM registry, difference in in-hospital and 1-month mortality rates between other registries and ours remained significant. In the multivariate analysis, age, initial acute pulmonary oedema (Killip class ≥2), complication occurring before percutaneous coronary intervention, absence of transfer to an interventional cardiology centre for primary angioplasty and lack of reperfusion therapy within 12 h were associated with higher risk of 1-month mortality (all p < 0.05). Age (65 versus 63.3 years, p < 0.001) was higher and reperfusion rate (84.2 versus 74.7%, p < 0.001) was significantly lower in SCALIM than FAST-MI, the national French registry on STEMI patients. Interestingly, the 3% of patients included in SCALIM who would be excluded from FAST-MI registry had 91% mortality at one month.

CONCLUSION

Higher mortality rate in our regional SCALIM registry is in part due to differences in inclusion criteria and demographic data. Consensus should be made to harmonise inclusion criteria in STEMI registries for the sake of comparability.

Elderly Suffering from ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction-Results from a Database Analysis from Two Mediterranean Medical Centers

Background: Little is known regarding primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the elderly. Methods: Data on 319 octogenarians, 641 septuagenarians, and 2451 younger patients was collected from an ongoing prospective registry of patients treated with pPCI for STEMI at two Mediterranean-area medical centers in 2009–2017. Results: More octogenarian patients were female (40.8 vs. 31.9 septuagenarians and 26.5% under 70 y, p < 0.01), had hypertension (79.5 vs. 69.5 and 45.9%, p < 0.01), renal failure (32.5 vs. 20.1 and 5.2%, p < 0.01), and a lower left-ventricular ejection fraction (42.0 vs. 44.9 and 47.6%, p = 0.012). At 1 month and 3 years after intervention, mortality was higher in the octogenarian patients (12.2 vs. 7.9%, p = 0.01; and 36.7 vs. 23.1%, p < 0.01, respectively), with no significant differences in the rates of recurrent myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, coronary artery bypass surgery, and cardiovascular death. Following adjustment for confounders, 3-year mortality was significantly higher in the octogenarians (HR 3.89 vs. 3.19 for septuagenarians, p < 0.01), but rates of major adverse cardiac events or cardiovascular death were not. Conclusions: Despite suffering from higher all-cause mortality, octogenarian patients treated with pPCI for STEMI do not suffer an increased risk of ischemic cardiac events relative to younger patients.

Percutaneous coronary intervention of unprotected left main and bifurcation in octogenarians: Subanalysis from RAIN (veRy thin stents for patients with left mAIn or bifurcatioN in real life)

OBJECTIVE

Outcomes of complex percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) in older patients are still debated. The aim of the study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of Octogenarian patients treated with ultrathinstents on left main or on coronary bifurcations, compared with younger patients.

METHODS

All consecutive patients presenting a critical lesion of an unprotected left main (ULM) or a bifurcation and treated with very thin stents were included in the RAIN (veRy thin stents for patients with left mAIn or bifurcatioN in real life) registry and divided into octogenarians group (OG, 551 patients) and nonoctogenarians (NOGs, 2,453 patients). Major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), a composite end point of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), target lesion revascularization (TLR), and stent thrombosis (ST), was the primary endpoint, while MACE components, cardiovascular (CV) death, and target vessel revascularization (TVR) were the secondary ones.

RESULTS

Indication for PCI was acute coronary syndrome in 64.7% of the OG versus 53.1% of the NOG. Severe calcifications and a diffuse disease were significantly more in OG. After a follow-up of 15.2 ± 10.3 months, MACEs were higher in the OG than in the NOG patients (OG 19.1% vs. NOG 11.2%, p < .001), along with MI (OG 6% vs. NOG 3.4%, p = .002) and all-cause death (OG 14% vs. NOG 4.3%, p < .001). In contrast, no significant difference was detected in CV-death (OG 5.1% vs. NOG 4%, p = .871), TVR/TLR, or ST. At multivariate analysis, age was not an independent predictor of MACE (OR 1.02 CI 95% 0.76-1.38), while it was for all-cause death, along with diabetes, GFR < 60 ml/min, and ULM disease.

DISCUSSION

Midterm outcomes of complex PCI in OG are similar to those of younger patients. However, due to the higher non-CV death rate, accurate patient selection is mandatory.

Predictors of new-onset atrial fibrillation in elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

BACKGROUND

The development of atrial fibrillation (AF) during the course of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is related to poor prognosis. Possible predictors of new-onset AF (NOAF) have not been adequately investigated in elderly patients with ACS undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We aimed to identify the factors associated with NOAF in such patients.

METHODS

A total of 308 elderly patients with ACS undergoing PCI were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into two groups: without NOAF [254 patients, 64.6% men, age: 73.5 (69.0-79.0) years] and with NOAF [54 patients, 70.4% men, age: 75.0 (68.7-81.2) years]. Clinical, angiographic, and laboratory features including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR) were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

The percentages of prior myocardial infarction (MI) (20.4 vs. 5.9%) and Killip III/ IV (24.1 vs. 7.1%), NLR [4.5 (2.6-7.2) vs. 3.2 (2.0-6.0)], and MHR [19.4 (15.7-26.5) vs. 12.9 (9.9-18.5)] were higher in patients with NOAF compared to the others (p = 0.020, < 0.001, 0.030, and < 0.001, respectively). In multivariate regression analysis, prior MI (OR 4.509, 95% CI 1.679-12.106, p = 0.003) and MHR (OR 1.102, 95% CI 1.054-1.152, p < 0.001) independently predicted NOAF. In addition, Killip III/IV was found to be an independent predictor of 6-month overall mortality (HR 2.949, 95% CI 1.218-7.136, p = 0.016).

CONCLUSIONS

Prior MI and MHR are independent predictors of NOAF in elderly patients with ACS undergoing PCI. Killip III/IV predicts 6-month overall mortality in such patients.

Temporal trends, characteristics and outcomes of fibrinolytic therapy for ST-elevation myocardial infarction among patients 80 years or older

BACKGROUND

Pharmacologic reperfusion therapy is a recommended and effective strategy in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) when percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not available. This study investigates temporal trends and outcomes of fibrinolytic therapy (FT) in elderly patients with STEMI.

METHODS

Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, we extracted patients ≥80 years a primary diagnosis of STEMI admitted between 2010 and 2014. Using ICD codes, we identified patients who underwent FT. We performed temporal trend analysis, then compared characteristics and inpatient outcomes in the FT group versus no-FT group. Our primary outcome of interest was hemorrhagic stroke (HS). We also assessed the impact of HS on mortality and discharge to skilled nursing facility (SNF).

RESULTS

Of the 917,307 patients with STEMI, 16.1% (n = 147,874) were aged 80 or older. Primary PCI was performed in 46.2%, 2.4% underwent FT, and 51.3% had neither pharmacologic nor mechanical revascularization. The rate of FT increased (1.9%-2.4%) in a nonlinear trend over the five years of the study. The FT group was eight times more likely to suffer HS (P < 0.001). FT was an independent predictor of HS (OR 7.90, 95% CI 4.36-14.30; P < 0.001), whether they underwent PCI or not. HS was an independent predictor of mortality and SNF discharge.

CONCLUSION

FT in patients 80 years or older presenting with STEMI was associated with an eight-fold increase in HS and no associated mortality advantage, both with or without PCI. These data underscore the increased risk of FT in the elderly.

Comparison of epidemiology, treatments and outcomes of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction between young and elderly patients

BACKGROUND

With an ageing population, there is a need to understand the relative risk/benefit of interventions for elderly ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. The primary aim of this study was to compare epidemiology, treatments and outcomes between young and elderly STEMI patients. Our secondary aim was to determine the cut-off age when the benefits of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were less pronounced.

METHODS

Data were collected by the Singapore Myocardial Infarction Registry. Patients were categorised into young (age <65 years) and elderly STEMI (age ≥65 years) patients.

RESULTS

We analysed 14 006 STEMI cases collected between January 2007 and December 2014; 33.9% were elderly STEMI patients. Elderly STEMI patients had longer median door to balloon (73 vs 64 min, P<0.001) time and were less likely to receive PCI (proportion difference=-23.6%, 95% CI -25.3 to -22.0). In the absence of PCI, elderly STEMI patients had a higher mortality within 30 days (elderly: HR 1.65, 95% CI 1.36 to 1.99, P<0.001; young: HR 1.10, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.54, P=0.573) and 1 year (elderly: HR 1.83, 95% CI 1.57 to 2.14, P<0.001; young: HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.83, P=0.009) of admission. The 1 year survival benefit of PCI started to decline after the age of 65 years.

CONCLUSION

Elderly STEMI patients were less likely to receive PCI and had longer door to balloon times. Survival benefit of PCI decreased after the age of 65 years, with the decline most evident from age 85 years onwards. The risks of PCI need to be weighed carefully against its benefits, especially in very elderly patients.

Management of myocardial infarction in the elderly. Insights from Spanish Minimum Basic Data Set

Background:

We aimed to assess the impact of implementation of reperfusion networks, the type of hospital and specialty of the treating physician on the management and outcomes of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction in patients aged ⩾75 years.

Methods:

We analysed data from the Minimum Basic Data Set of the Spanish public health system, assessing hospital discharges between 2004 and 2013. Discharges were distributed in three groups depending on the clinical management: percutaneous coronary intervention, thrombolysis or no reperfusion. Primary outcome measure was all cause in-hospital mortality. For risk adjustment, patient comorbidities were identified for each index hospitalization.

Results:

We identified 299,929 discharges, of whom 107,890 (36%) were in-patients aged ⩾75 years. Older patients had higher prevalence of comorbidities, were less often treated in high complexity hospitals and were less frequently managed by cardiologists ( p<0.001). Both percutaneous coronary intervention and fibrinolysis were less often performed in elderly patients ( p<0.001). A progressive increase in the rate of percutaneous coronary intervention was observed in the elderly across the study period (from 17% in 2004 to 45% in 2013, p<0.001), with a progressive reduction of crude mortality (from 23% in 2004 to 19% in 2013, p<0.001). Adjusted analysis showed an association between being treated in high complexity hospitals, being treated by cardiologists and lower in-hospital mortality ( p <0.001).

Conclusions:

Elderly patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction are less often managed in high complexity hospitals and less often treated by cardiologists. Both factors are associated with higher in-hospital mortality.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of octogenarians presenting with ST elevation myocardial infarction in the Australian population

AIM

To investigate the characteristics and outcomes of octogenarians who presented with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) compared to non-octogenarians and to investigate the outcomes of octogenarians that received primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared to those managed conservatively.

METHODS

We performed a single center retrospective case controlled study. All octogenarians who presented with STEMI to a tertiary referring hospital between 2007 and 2012 were included. The subsequent non-octogenarian patient who presented with a STEMI following the octogenarian patient was assigned to the control group in a 1:1 manner. The outcomes measured were peri-procedural cardiac arrest, death on table, cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), in-hospital and 30-d mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 146 patients were analyzed. The octogenarian group had a higher percentage of females, higher overall comorbidities, higher Charlson Comorbidity Index score, worse renal function and were more likely to require residential care and home help. The octogenarian group were also less likely to have PCI attempted and had a longer symptom onset to PCI time. Mortality rate was high amongst octogenarians who presented with STEMI. However, those managed conservatively had a higher in-hospital and 30-d mortality rate

CONCLUSION

Octogenarians who presented with STEMI that were managed conservatively had a higher mortality rate compared to those who had primary PCI. Therefore, we propose that revascularization may be beneficial to patients in this age group.

Air pollution and ST-elevation myocardial infarction: A case-crossover study of the Belgian STEMI registry 2009-2013

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that air pollution particulate matter (PM) is associated with an increased risk for myocardial infarction. The effects of air pollution on the risk of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), in particular the role of gaseous air pollutants such as NO₂ and O₃ and the susceptibility of specific populations, are still under debate.

METHODS

All patients entered in the Belgian prospective STEMI registry between 2009 and 2013 were included. Based on a validated spatial interpolation model from the Belgian Environment Agency, a national index was used to address the background level of air pollution exposure of Belgian population. A time-stratified and temperature-matched case-crossover analysis of the risk of STEMI was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 11,428 STEMI patients were included in the study. Each 10μg/m³ increase in PM10, PM2.5 and NO₂ was associated with an increased odds ratio (ORs) of STEMI of 1.026 (CI _95%: 1.005-1.048), 1.028 (CI _95%: 1.003-1.054) and 1.051 (CI _95%: 1.018-1.084), respectively. No effect of O₃ was found. STEMI was associated with PM10 exposure in patients ≥75y.o. (OR: 1.046, CI _95%: 1.002-1.092) and with NO₂ in patients ≤54y.o. (OR: 1.071, CI _95%: 1.010-1.136). No effect of air pollution on cardiac arrest or in-hospital STEMI mortality was found.

CONCLUSION

PM2.5 and NO₂ exposures incrementally increase the risk of STEMI. The risk related to PM appears to be greater in the elderly, while younger patients appear to be more susceptible to NO₂ exposure.

Percutaneous coronary intervention for nonagenarian patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: Experience of a single Japanese center

BACKGROUND

Old age is a prognostic risk factor for patients with ST elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI); however, few data exist describing STEMI patients aged over 90 years.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated the clinical indices and outcomes of 282 consecutive STEMI patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in our hospital between January 2008 and December 2012. Patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest, patients with a left main trunk culprit lesion, and patients diagnosed more than 24h after symptom onset were excluded.

RESULTS

Of the patients treated during the study period, 11 (3.8%) were >90 years old. The mean door-to-balloon time was significantly longer for nonagenarians than younger patients (66.2 vs. 44.0minutes; p<0.001). This was mainly attributed to delays in decision-making regarding invasive treatment by both the doctors and families. Nonagenarians had multiple coronary artery stenoses more frequently (36.4% vs. 15.0%; p<0.05) and required intra-aortic balloon pumping more often (36.4% vs. 18.9%; p=0.15) compared with patients aged ≤89 years. However, the peak creatinine kinase levels and the left ventricular ejection fractions were similar between the groups. Moreover, the in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates were similar (9.1% vs. 4.6%, p=0.50; 9.1% vs. 3.6%, p=0.34, respectively) between the groups. The two-year survival rate was 81.8% in nonagenarians.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the longer door-to-balloon time, higher use of intra-aortic balloon pumping, and larger number of diseased vessels, the 30-day and 2-year survival rates of nonagenarians with STEMI were comparable to those of younger patients.

Leukocyte telomere length and left ventricular function after acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction: data from the glycometabolic intervention as adjunct to primary coronary intervention in ST elevation myocardial infarction (GIPS-III) trial

Background

Telomere length has been associated with coronary artery disease and heart failure. We studied whether leukocyte telomere length is associated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods and results

Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) was determined using the monochrome multiplex quantitative PCR method in 353 patients participating in the glycometabolic intervention as adjunct to primary percutaneous coronary intervention in STEMI III trial. LVEF was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. The mean age of patients was 58.9 ± 11.6 years, 75 % were male. In age- and gender-adjusted models, LTL at baseline was significantly associated with age (beta ± standard error; −0.33 ± 0.01; P < 0.01), gender (0.15 ± 0.03; P < 0.01), TIMI flow pre-PCI (0.05 ± 0.03; P < 0.01), TIMI flow post-PCI (0.03 ± 0.04; P < 0.01), myocardial blush grade (−0.05 ± 0.07; P < 0.01), serum glucose levels (−0.11 ± 0.01; P = 0.03), and total leukocyte count (−0.11 ± 0.01; P = 0.04). At 4 months after STEMI, LVEF was well preserved (54.1 ± 8.4 %) and was not associated with baseline LTL (P = 0.95). Baseline LTL was associated with n-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) at 4 months (−0.14 ± 0.01; P = 0.02), albeit not independent for age and gender.

Conclusion

Our study does not support a role for LTL as a causal factor related to left ventricular ejection fraction after STEMI.

Drug-eluting stents in patients with anterior STEMI undergoing primary angioplasty: a substudy of the DESERT cooperation

BACKGROUND

Several concerns have emerged on the higher risk of in-stent thrombosis after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation, especially in the setting of STEMI patients. Few data have even been reported in high-risk patients, such as those with anterior MI. Therefore this represents the aim of the current study.

METHODS

The literature was scanned by formal searches of electronic databases (MEDLINE and CENTRAL). We examined all completed randomized trials of DES for STEMI. The following key words were used for study selection: randomized trial, myocardial infarction, reperfusion, primary angioplasty, stenting, DES, sirolimus-eluting stent (SES), Cypher, paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES), Taxus. No language restrictions were enforced.

RESULTS

Individual patient's data were obtained from 11 out of 13 trials, including a total of 2,782 patients with anterior MI [1,739 or 62.5% randomized to DES and 1,043 or 37.5% randomized to bare-metal stent (BMS)]. At long-term follow-up, no significant benefit was observed with DES as compared to BMS in terms of mortality [9.8 vs 10.9%, HR (95% CI) = 0.81 (0.61, 1.07), p = 0.13, p heterogeneity = 0.18], reinfarction [8.8 vs 6.4%, respectively; HR (95% CI) = 1.14 (0.80, 1.61), p = 0.47, p heterogeneity = 0.82], and stent thrombosis [5.6 vs 5%, OR (95% CI) = 0.88 (0.59, 1.30), p = 0.51, p heterogeneity = 0.65], whereas DES was associated with a significant reduction in terms of target-vessel revascularization (TVR) [13.7 vs 23.4%; OR (95% CI) = 0.56 (0.46, 0.69), p < 0.0001, p het = 0.81] that was observed at both early (within 1 year) [7 vs 14.7%, HR (95% CI) = 0.56 (0.46, 0.69), p < 0.0001, p het = 0.81] and late (>1 year) follow-up [7.2 vs 9%, HR (95% CI) = 0.67 (0.47, 0.96), p = 0.03, p het = 0.96].

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that among patients with anterior STEMI undergoing primary angioplasty, SES and PES, as compared to BMS, are associated with a significant reduction in TVR at long-term follow-up. No concerns were found with the use of first-generation DES in terms of mortality.

Short-term outcome of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with an everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate safety and efficacy of the everolimus-eluting bioresorbable scaffold (BVS) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

BACKGROUND

According to the current guidelines, drug-eluting stents are the treatment of choice in patients with STEMI. BVS represents a new technology capable to restore the native vessel vasomotion and potentially avoiding long-term limitations such as stent thrombosis.

METHODS

From October 2012 to May 2013, patients with evidence of STEMI eligible for BVS implantation were included in this study. Exclusion criteria were not defined.

RESULTS

A total of 25 patients, respectively 31 lesions, were treated. Procedural success was achieved in 97%. Two major adverse cardiac events occurred during hospitalization and follow-up: one patient with cardiogenic shock at the index procedure subsequently died. One patient suffered from instable angina with need for interventional revascularization of a previously untreated vessel. One target vessel failure as a consequence of an intra-procedural dissection was seen. However, no target lesion failure was noted. During 132.7 ± 68.7 days of follow-up none of the patients died.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that implantation of BVS in STEMI patients is feasible in this small cohort of highly selected patients. Further evaluation in randomized-controlled trials is needed.