LombardIMA: a regional registry for coronary angioplasty in ST-elevation myocardial infarction

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.

Higher in-hospital mortality during weekend admission for acute coronary syndrome: a large-scale cross-sectional Italian study

AIMS

An increased mortality risk during weekend hospital admission has been consistently observed. In the present study, we evaluated whether the current improvement in management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) has reduced this phenomenon.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We extracted data from the Italian National Healthcare System Databank of 80 391 ACS admissions in the region of Lombardia between 2010 and 2014. ICD-9 codes were used to assess the diagnosis. We performed a multiple logistic regression analysis to compare the mortality rates between weekend and weekday admissions.Mean age of the study population was 67.6 years; 30.1% of patients were women. ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) accounts for 42.2% of admissions. The total in-hospital mortality was 3.05% and was positively predicted by weekend admission [odds ratio (OR) 1.13, P = 0.006], age and female sex. The weekend effect on mortality was only significant for STEMI (OR 1.11, P = 0.04) in comparison to non-STEMI (NSTEMI) or unstable angina.The trend of the risk of death was found to be negatively correlated with age: the risk of death was significantly higher in all age clusters younger than 75 (OR 1.22, P < 0.01) and even greater in the very young subgroup under 45 years of age (OR 2.09, P = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate that increased mortality risk is still present during weekend admissions. This phenomenon is particularly evident in younger patients and in individuals admitted for STEMI.

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor for large anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction: rationale and design of the prospective randomized phase III STEM-AMI OUTCOME trial

BACKGROUND

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been clinically tested in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with mixed results. Our 3-year follow-up data from STEM-AMI trial documented a sustained benefit of G-CSF on adverse ventricular remodeling after large anterior STEMI, when administered early and at a high-dose in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. The Aim of the present trial is to establish whether G-CSF improves hard clinical long-term outcomes.

METHODS

The STEM-AMI OUTCOME is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase III trial. It will include 1,530 patients with anterior STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention 2 to 24 hours after symptoms onset and with LV ejection fraction ≤45% after successful reperfusion. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to G-CSF and/or standard treatment. The primary end point is a reduced occurrence of all-cause death, recurrence of myocardial infarction, or hospitalization due to heart failure in G-CSF-treated patients. Left ventricular remodeling will be assessed via cardiac ultrasound and a substudy with cardiac magnetic resonance will be carried out in 120 subjects. Accrual and follow-up periods will last 3 and 2 years, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The STEM-AMI OUTCOME study is designed to be a rigorous controlled phase III trial with adequate statistical power to conclusively assess efficacy of G-CSF treatment in STEMI.

Mortality and ST resolution in patients admitted with STEMI: the MOMI survey of emergency service experience in a complex urban area

BACKGROUND

Since 2001, the urban area of Milan has been operating a network among 23 cardiac care units, the 118 dispatch centre (national free number for medical emergencies), and the county government health agency called Group for Prehospital Cardiac Emergency.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In order to monitor the network activity, time to treatment, and clinical outcome, a periodic survey, called MOMI(2), was repeated two or three times a year. Each survey lasted 30 days and was repeated in comparable periods. Data were stratified for hospital admission mode. We collected data concerning 708 consecutive ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients (male 72.6%; mean age 64.4 years). In these six surveys, we observed a high rate of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (73.2%) and a mortality rate of 6.3%. Using advanced statistical models, we identified age, Killip class, and the symptom onset-to-balloon time as most relevant prognostic factors. Nonparametric test showed that the modality of hospital admittance was the most critical determinant of door-to-balloon time. 12-lead ECG tele-transmission and activation of a fast track directly to the catheterization laboratory are easy action to reduce time to treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The experience of the Milan network for cardiac emergency shows how a network coordinating the community, rescue units, and hospitals in a complex urban area and making use of medical technology contributes to the health care of patients with STEMI.

The Stent for Life project in Italy

In Italy, as in other European countries, public service healthcare presents some disparities that are related to geographical, economic, organizational and structural issues. Although some Italian regions have excellent networks for the treatment of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), others still have to develop a model that allows each STEMI patient to receive the best reperfusion treatment. A recent nationwide registry from the Italian Society of Interventional Cardiology (SICI-GISE) showed that efficient STEMI networks cover approximately 50% of the Italian territory. For these reasons, Italy joined the Stent for Life initiative in August 2010 with the primary goal of implementing and defining tailored action programs in order to ensure that the majority of the Italian STEMI population have access to life-saving primary percutaneous coronary intervention.