Combinación de discapacidad y fragilidad en una escala integrada para la valoración pronóstica después de un síndrome coronario agudo

Geriatric conditions and invasive management in frail patients with NSTEMI. A subgroup analysis of a randomized clinical trial

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Invasive management in frail patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) remains controversial. We investigated the impact of various geriatric conditions.

METHODS

The MOSCA-FRAIL trial included 167 adults aged ≥ 70 years with frailty (Clinical Frailty Scale [CFS] ≥ 4 points) and NSTEMI, who were randomized to either an invasive (n=84) or conservative (n=83) strategy. In addition to frailty, we measured activities of daily living (Barthel index), cognitive impairment (Pfeiffer test), and comorbidities (Charlson index). The primary endpoint was the difference (invasive minus conservative) in restricted mean survival time (RMST) for all-cause mortality at a median follow-up of 3.9 years.

RESULTS

A total of 93 patients died. The RMST difference favored invasive management at the CFS 25th percentile (CFS=4; 157 days, 95%CI, 18-295; P=.027), which changed to a nonsignificant effect at the 50th and 75th percentiles. The RMST difference remained nonsignificant, irrespective of the severity of other geriatric assessments. In time-to-event analysis, invasive management was associated with an initially lower life expectancy, peaking at around 1 year, among all subgroups. However, patients with CFS=4 experienced a benefit at the end of follow-up (181 days, 95%CI, 19-343), whereas those with CFS >4 did not (-16 days, 95%CI, -217 to 186; interaction P=.16). Subgroups defined by other geriatric markers showed a similar time-dependent trend, albeit with weaker statistical interaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Among adults with frailty and NSTEMI, the CFS might be useful for evaluating the relative risks and benefits of invasive management. A CFS >4 could serve as a valuable threshold for decision-making.

Frailty Scales for Prognosis Assessment of Older Adult Patients after Acute Myocardial Infarction

We aimed to compare the prognostic value of two different measures, the Fried's Frailty Scale (FFS) and the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), following myocardial infarction (MI). We included 150 patients ≥ 70 years admitted from AMI. Frailty was evaluated on the day before discharge. The primary endpoint was number of days alive and out of hospital (DAOH) during the first 800 days. Secondary endpoints were mortality and a composite of mortality and reinfarction. Frailty was diagnosed in 58% and 34% of patients using the FFS and CFS scales, respectively. During the first 800 days 34 deaths and 137 admissions occurred. The number of DAOH decreased significantly with increasing scores of both FFS (p < 0.001) and CFS (p = 0.049). In multivariate analysis, only the highest scores (FFS = 5, CFS ≥ 6) were independently associated with fewer DAOH. At a median follow-up of 946 days, frailty assessed both by FFS and CFS was independently associated with death and MI (HR = 2.70 95%CI = 1.32-5.51 p = 0.001; HR = 2.01 95%CI = 1.1-3.66 p = 0.023, respectively), whereas all-cause mortality was only associated with FFS (HR = 1.51 95%CI = 1.08-2.10 p = 0.015). Frailty by FFS or CFS is independently associated with shorter number DAOH post-MI. Likewise, frailty assessed by either scale is associated with a higher rate of death and reinfarction, whereas FFS outperforms CFS for mortality prediction.

New-onset heart failure after acute coronary syndrome in patients without heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of heart failure (HF). The aim of this study was to assess the risk of readmission for HF in patients with acute coronary syndrome without previous HF or left ventricular dysfunction.

METHODS

Prospective study of consecutive patients admitted for acute coronary syndrome in 2 institutions. Risk factors for HF were analyzed by competing risk regression, taking all-cause mortality as a competing event.

RESULTS

We included 5962 patients and 567 (9.5%) experienced at least 1 hospital readmission for acute HF. Median follow-up was 63 months and median time to HF readmission was 27.1 months. The cumulative incidence of HF was higher than mortality in the first 7 years after hospital discharge. A higher risk of HF readmission was associated with age, diabetes, previous coronary heart disease, GRACE score> 140, peripheral arterial disease, renal dysfunction, hypertension and atrial fibrillation; a lower risk was associated with optimal medical treatment. The incidence of HF in the first year of follow-up was 2.73% and no protective variables were found. A simple HF risk score predicted HF readmissions risk.

CONCLUSIONS

One out of 10 patients discharged after an acute coronary syndrome without previous HF or left ventricular dysfunction had new-onset HF and the risk was higher than the risk of mortality. A simple clinical score can estimate individual risk of HF readmission even in patients without previous HF or left ventricular dysfunction.