Predischarge C-reactive protein and 1-year outcome after acute coronary syndromes

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein as a predictor of cardiovascular events after ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Background

The association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and recurrent major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction who undergo primary percutaneous coronary intervention remains controversial.

Objective

To investigate the potential association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and an increased risk of MACE such as death, heart failure, reinfarction, and new revascularization in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods

This prospective cohort study included 300 individuals aged >18 years who were diagnosed with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention at a tertiary health center. An instrument evaluating clinical variables and the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) and Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk scores was used. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein was determined by nephelometry. The patients were followed-up during hospitalization and up to 30 days after infarction for the occurrence of MACE. Student's t, Mann-Whitney, chi-square, and logistic regression tests were used for statistical analyses. P values of ≤0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

The mean age was 59.76 years, and 69.3% of patients were male. No statistically significant association was observed between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and recurrent MACE (p = 0.11). However, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was independently associated with 30-day mortality when adjusted for TIMI [odds ratio (OR), 1.27; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.07-1.51; p = 0.005] and GRACE (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.06-1.49; p = 0.007) risk scores.

Conclusion

Although high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was not predictive of combined major cardiovascular events within 30 days after ST-elevation myocardial infarction in patients who underwent primary angioplasty and stent implantation, it was an independent predictor of 30-day mortality.

Usefulness of biomarker strategy to improve GRACE score's prediction performance in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome and low event rates

We sought to assess whether multiple biomarkers would correlate with the outcome and could improve event prediction in non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome populations with low event rates. Nine inflammatory, ischemic, or neurohormonal biomarkers were measured within 48 hours after symptom onset in 440 patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome from the ARCHIPELAGO (Irbesartan in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome Without ST Segment Elevation) trial. We assessed the relation between biomarkers and ischemic or heart failure composite end points at 2 months of follow-up. We also evaluated whether biomarkers could improve the predictive performance of the validated and well-performing Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score. Among all biomarkers measured at baseline, only interleukin-6 correlated with the ischemic end point (adjusted odds ratio 1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.23 to 2.31). The independent correlates of the heart failure end point were B-type natriuretic peptide (adjusted odds ratio 3.16, 95% CI 1.99 to 5.03), aldosterone (adjusted odds ratio 1.57, 95% CI 1.14 to 2.16) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (adjusted odds ratio 0.64, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.88). The Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events score predicted poorly the ischemic end point (area under the curve [AUC] 0.591) and fairly (AUC 0.775) the heart failure end point. The performance of the models was significantly improved by the introduction of interleukin-6 (AUC 0.685) for the ischemic end point and of the 3 biomarkers (AUC 0.874) for the heart failure end point. In conclusion, the interleukin-6 level only, and B-type natriuretic peptide, aldosterone, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 together, independently correlated with the ischemic and heart failure end points, respectively. The Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score's performance was significantly improved with a biomarker strategy. In low-risk populations, a strategy using these biomarkers might help in identifying patients at greater risk of additional events.

Aldosterone and long-term outcome after myocardial infarction: A substudy of the french nationwide Observatoire sur la Prise en charge hospitalière, l'Evolution à un an et les caRactéristiques de patients présentant un infArctus du myocarde avec ou sans onde Q (OPERA) study

BACKGROUND

High plasma aldosterone levels at presentation are correlated to poor outcome after ST elevation acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Whether there is a relationship between aldosterone levels and outcome in a broader spectrum of patients admitted for AMI defined by the new definition based on troponin levels remains unknown.

METHODS

Plasma aldosterone, C-reactive protein, and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were measured in 471 patients, 24 and 72 hours after admission for AMI defined by the new definition. The primary outcome was the composite of death, resuscitated cardiac arrest, recurrent/extended myocardial infarction, recurrent ischemia, heart failure, and stroke.

RESULTS

The highest aldosterone levels quartile at 24 hours was significantly associated with the occurrence of the primary outcome (P < .0001), death (P < .05), heart failure (P < .05), ventricular (P < .0001) and supraventricular arrhythmias (P < .05), and acute renal failure (P < .01) during the in-hospital period, and higher rates of mortality (P < .05) at 1-year follow-up. Independent correlates of the primary outcome at 1 year were age > or =73 (odds ratio [OR] 2.22 [1.38-3.57]), heart failure (OR 6.46 [1.99-20.98]), 24-hour aldosterone > or =103.6 pg.mL(-1) (OR 1.72 [1.07-2.77]), and BNP > or =389 pg.mL(-1) (OR 2.35 [1.44-3.84]) concentrations. The model applied to the 72-hour variables, identified the same correlates.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the new definition of AMI, based on troponin levels, regardless of ST-segment elevation and management strategies, high aldosterone concentration is associated with major adverse in-hospital events and is an independent correlate of clinical outcome at 1 year. These findings warrant trials assessing the benefit of early aldosterone blockade in such patients.

'Lone' increase in C-reactive protein after cardiac surgery: prevalence, clinical characteristics, in-hospital course, and prognostic value

BACKGROUND

Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) is involved in the acute phase reaction after surgery, even though its clinical significance remains a matter of debate. We evaluated CRP levels in cardiac surgery patients without clinical or laboratory signs of infection.

METHODS

We screened 737 consecutive patients referred to our center 8+/-5 days after cardiac surgery. Patients with fever (>37.2 degrees C), elevated white blood cell count (>11,000/ml), neutrophilia (>70%), or any inflammatory, infective or malignant disease were excluded. CRP levels were measured on admission and at discharge and the values were related to the following variables: age, sex, diabetes mellitus, renal failure, type of surgery, postoperative atrial fibrillation, pericardial or pleural effusion, and length of hospital stay. Follow-up (mean: 23+/-8.5 months) was available for 175 patients (94%).

RESULTS

In the 187 patients enrolled in the study, the CRP values were significantly elevated (median: 4.23 mg/dl, interquartiles range: 2.68-6.64) independent of any variable analyzed. At discharge, CRP levels were significantly reduced compared with values on admission (median: 1.55 mg/dl, interquartiles range: 0.84-2.37, P<0.001). At follow-up, 19 events (10.8%) occurred (two noncardiac deaths, 17 hospital readmissions for cardiac reasons); nonetheless, no correlation was found with CRP values either on admission or at discharge.

CONCLUSION

Early after cardiac surgery, in patients without clinical or laboratory signs of acute infection, CRP levels are significantly elevated, do not correlate with clinical variables, and decrease at discharge. These findings suggest a systemic inflammatory response to surgery-related stress, which carries a favorable prognosis at follow-up.

C-reactive protein and heart failure after myocardial infarction in the community

BACKGROUND

There is a paucity of data on the prognostic role of C-reactive protein (CRP) measured after myocardial infarction. We prospectively examined the association of CRP with heart failure and death among patients with myocardial infarction in the community.

METHODS AND RESULTS

All Olmsted County residents who had a myocardial infarction meeting standardized criteria were prospectively enrolled to measure CRP on admission and followed for heart failure and death. A total of 329 consecutive patients (mean age 69 +/- 16 years, 52% men) were enrolled. At 1 year, 28% of patients experienced heart failure and 20% died. There was a strong positive graded association between CRP and the risk of developing heart failure, as well as dying over the period of follow-up (P < .001). Compared with patients in the first tertile, patients in the third tertile of the CRP distribution had a markedly increased risk of heart failure and death independently of age, sex, troponin T, Q wave, comorbidity, previous myocardial infarction, and recurrent ischemic events (adjusted hazard ratio 2.47 [95% confidence interval, 1.27-4.82] for heart failure and 3.96 [95% confidence interval, 1.78-8.83] for death).

CONCLUSIONS

These prospective data indicate that among contemporary community subjects with myocardial infarction, heart failure and death remain frequent complications. CRP is associated with a large increase in the risk of heart failure and death, independently of age, sex, myocardial infarction severity, comorbidity, previous myocardial infarction, and recurrent ischemic events. These data suggest that inflammatory processes may play a role in the development of heart failure and death after myocardial infarction independently of other conventional prognostic indicators.