Risk of revisits to the emergency department in admitted versus discharged patients with chest pain but without myocardial infarction in relation to high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T levels

Long-term prognosis of low high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T in the emergency department compared with the general population

BACKGROUND

Long-term prognosis associated with low-high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) concentrations in patients with chest pain is unknown. We investigated these prognostic implications compared with the general population.

METHODS

All first visits to seven emergency departments (ED)s in Sweden were included from 9 December 2010 to 31 August, 2017 by patients presenting with chest pain and at least one hs-cTnT measured. Patients with myocardial injury (any hs-cTnT >14 ng/L), including patients with myocardial infarction (MI) were excluded. Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) and standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated as the ratio of the number of observed to expected events. The expected number was computed by multiplying the 1-year calendar period-specific, age-specific and sex-specific follow-up time in the cohort with the corresponding incidence in the general population. HRs were calculated for all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as acute MI, heart failure hospitalisation, cerebrovascular stroke or cardiovascular death, between patients with undetectable (<5 ng/L) and low (5-14 ng/L) hs-cTnT.

RESULTS

A total of 1 11 916 patients were included, of whom 69 090 (62%) and 42 826 (38%) had peak hs-cTnT concentrations of <5 and 5-14 ng/L. Patients with undetectable peak hs-cTnT had a lower mortality risk compared with the general Swedish population (SMR 0.83, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.87), with lower risks observed in all patients ≥65 years of age, but a slightly higher risk of being diagnosed with a future MI (SIR 1.39, 95% CI 1.32 to 1.47). The adjusted risk of a first MACE associated with low versus undetectable peak hs-cTnT was 1.6-fold (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.53 to 1.70).

CONCLUSION

Patients with chest pain and undetectable hs-cTnT have an overall lower risk of death compared with the general population, with risks being highly age dependent. Detectable hs-cTnT concentrations are still associated with increased long-term cardiovascular risks.

An international, stepped wedge, cluster-randomized trial investigating the 0/1-h algorithm in suspected acute coronary syndrome in Asia: the rational of the DROP-Asian ACS study

BACKGROUND

More than half of the world's population lives in Asia. With current life expectancies in Asian countries, the burden of cardiovascular disease is increasing exponentially. Overcrowding in the emergency departments (ED) has become a public health problem. Since 2015, the European Society of Cardiology recommends the use of a 0/1-h algorithm based on high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) for rapid triage of patients with suspected non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). However, these algorithms are currently not recommended by Asian guidelines due to the lack of suitable data.

METHODS

The DROP-Asian ACS is a prospective, stepped wedge, cluster-randomized trial enrolling 4260 participants presenting with chest pain to the ED of 12 acute care hospitals in five Asian countries (UMIN; 000042461). Consecutive patients presenting with suspected acute coronary syndrome between July 2022 and Apr 2024 were included. Initially, all clusters will apply "usual care" according to local standard operating procedures including hs-cTnT but not the 0/1-h algorithm. The primary outcome is the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), the composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, or unplanned revascularization within 30 days. The difference in MACE (with one-sided 95% CI) was estimated to evaluate non-inferiority. The non-inferiority margin was prespecified at 1.5%. Secondary efficacy outcomes include costs for healthcare resources and duration of stay in ED.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides important evidence concerning the safety and efficacy of the 0/1-h algorithm in Asian countries and may help to reduce congestion of the ED as well as medical costs.

The Role of Using HEART Score to Risk Stratify Chest Pain Among Emergency Department High Utilizers

The HEART score is used to effectively risk stratify undifferentiated chest pain patients in the Emergency Department (ED). It is unclear whether such risk stratification can be applied among ED high utilizers. We aim to determine the efficacy and safety of using the HEART score to predict 30-day short-term major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in ED high utilizers. We conducted a retrospective, observational study in which ED high utilizers were defined as patients who had four or more ED visits within the past 12 months. ED high utilizers presenting at the study ED with chest pain were enrolled. Patients in which the HEART score was utilized were placed in the HEART group and patients with no HEART scores documented were placed to the usual care group. Hospital admissions and cardiac stress tests performed during the index hospitalizations, and 30-day MACE rates were analyzed and compared between the HEART and usual care groups. From January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019, a total of 8,315 patient visits from ED high utilizers were enrolled. In the HEART group, 49% of ED visits were admitted with 20% receiving stress tests. A 30-day MACE outcome occurred among 1.4% of visits. In the usual care group, 44% of ED visits were admitted, with only 9% receiving index stress tests and a 1.5% of 30-day MACE occurrence (p=0.727). The study showed that similar short-term MACE outcomes occurred between patients using HEART scores and usual care to risk stratify chest pain among ED high utilizers.

Multicentre cross-sectional observational registry to monitor the safety of early discharge after rule-out of acute myocardial infarction by copeptin and troponin: the Pro-Core registry

OBJECTIVES

There is sparse information on the safety of early primary discharge from the emergency department (ED) after rule-out of myocardial infarction in suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This prospective registry aimed to confirm randomised study results in patients at low-to-intermediate risk, with a broader spectrum of symptoms, across different institutional standards and with a range of local troponin assays including high-sensitivity cTn (hs-cTn), cardiac troponin (cTn) and point-of-care troponin (POC Tn).

DESIGN

Prospective, multicentre European registry.

SETTING

18 emergency departments in nine European countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, UK, Turkey, Lithuania and Hungary) PARTICIPANTS: The final study cohort consisted of 2294 patients (57.2% males, median age 57 years) with suspected ACS.

INTERVENTIONS

Using the new dual markers strategy, 1477 patients were eligible for direct discharge, which was realised in 974 (42.5%) of patients.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at 30 days.

RESULTS

Compared with conventional workup after dual marker measurement, the median length of ED stay was 60 min shorter (228 min, 95% CI: 219 to 239 min vs 288 min, 95% CI: 279 to 300 min) in the primary dual marker strategy (DMS) discharge group. All-cause mortality was 0.1% (95% CI: 0% to 0.6%) in the primary DMS discharge group versus 1.1% (95% CI: 0.6% to 1.8%) in the conventional workup group after dual marker measurement. Conventional workup instead of discharge despite negative DMS biomarkers was observed in 503 patients (21.9%) and associated with higher prevalence of ACS (17.1% vs 0.9%, p<0.001), cardiac diagnoses (55.2% vs 23.5%, p<0.001) and risk factors (p<0.01), but with a similar all-cause mortality of 0.2% (95% CI: 0% to 1.1%) versus primary DMS discharge (p=0.64).

CONCLUSIONS

Copeptin on top of cardiac troponin supports safe discharge in patients with chest pain or other symptoms suggestive of ACS under routine conditions with the use of a broad spectrum of local standard POC, conventional and high-sensitivity troponin assays.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02490969.

Outcomes in Patients With Chest Pain Discharged After Evaluation Using a High-Sensitivity Troponin T Assay

BACKGROUND

Most patients with chest pain are discharged from the emergency department (ED) with the diagnosis "unspecified chest pain." It is unknown if evaluation with a high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) assay affects prognosis in this large population.

OBJECTIVES

The aim was to investigate whether the introduction of an hsTnT assay is associated with reduced incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and cardiovascular (CV) risk profile in patients with chest pain discharged from the ED.

METHODS

The study included 65,696 patients with "unspecified chest pain" discharged from 16 Swedish hospital EDs between 2006 and 2013 in which an hsTnT assay was introduced as the clinical routine. Patients evaluated with a conventional and an hsTnT assay were compared regarding the occurrence of 30-day MACE and CV risk profile based on information from national registries. Patients directly discharged and those discharged after an initial admission were analyzed separately.

RESULTS

Fewer directly discharged patients experienced a MACE when evaluated with an hsTnT compared with a conventional assay (0.6% vs. 0.9%; odds ratio [OR]: 0.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.57 to 0.83). In contrast, more patients discharged after an initial admission experienced a MACE when evaluated with an hsTnT (7.2% vs. 3.4%; OR: 2.18; 95% CI: 1.76 to 2.72). Admitted patients had a higher general CV risk profile when evaluated with hsTnT, whereas directly discharged patients had a lower general CV risk profile with the same test.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients directly discharged from the ED with unspecified chest pain experienced fewer MACEs and had a better risk profile when evaluated with hsTnT. Our findings suggest that more true at-risk patients were identified and admitted. The implementation of hsTnT assays in Swedish hospitals has improved evaluations in the ED.

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T levels in the emergency department in patients with chest pain but no myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) was recently introduced into clinical practice. The increased sensitivity has decreased the specificity. We aimed to determine the predictors for and prevalence of hs-cTnT levels above the 99th percentile in a stable population of patients without myocardial infarction (MI) who sought medical attention for chest pain in the emergency department.

METHODS

We included 11,847 patients with chest pain and at least one hs-cTnT measurement during 2011 and 2012. Patients with any acute reasons for an elevated hs-cTnT level were excluded. We used logistic regression to calculate adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for the association between patient characteristics and hs-cTnT levels of >14ng/L. We also determined 50th, 75th, 97.5th, and 99th percentile values of hs-cTnT levels in relation to age, sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and presence or absence of comorbidities.

RESULTS

In total, 1360 (11%) patients had hs-cTnT levels of >14ng/L. Men had higher troponin levels than women, and older patients had higher levels than younger patients. The strongest predictor of an elevated troponin level was a reduced eGFR. The 99th percentile for hs-cTnT among all men and among women <50years of age with normal renal function was 20 and 12ng/L, respectively; this level increased to 44 and 36ng/L, respectively, at the age of 70-79years.

CONCLUSIONS

A hs-cTnT level above the 99th percentile in patients with chest pain but no MI is common and is related to sex, age, and eGFR.