Potentially inappropriate medications for patients with heart failure and risk of hospitalization from heart failure: A casecontrol study from Thailand

Background:

Thailand have developed a list of potentially inappropriate medications for patients with heart failure (PIMHF). However, its association with clinical outcomes has not been evaluated in real-world clinical practice.

Objective:

To examine the association between the prescription of any PIMHF and hospitalization from heart failure (HF).

Methods:

A 1:1 matched case-control study was conducted. Data on HF patients visiting the study hospitals during 2017-2019 were obtained from the electronic medical record database. Patients with a history of first hospitalization due to HF and those with a history of outpatient department visits or non-HF hospitalization were defined as cases and controls, respectively. The association of hospitalization from HF with the prescription of any PIMHF was expressed as the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI), calculated using a conditional logistic regression (CLR) model.

Results:

After matching, 1,603 pairs of case and control were generated for the analysis. In total, 21 of 47 PIMHF were found to have been prescribed. Compared with the reference group of patients not prescribed any of the 21 PIMHF, those who had been prescribed a PIMHF had an aOR of 1.47 [95%CI 1.02:2.13]. NSAIDs/COX-2 inhibitors, oral short-acting beta-2 agonists, medications that promote fluid overload, and medications that elevate blood pressure were the four medication classes associated with the increased risk of hospitalization from HF (aOR = 2.64, [95%CI 1.30:5.38], aOR = 4.87, [95%CI 1.17:20.29], aOR = 1.50, [95%CI 1.01:2.22], and aOR = 2.51, [95%CI 1.26:4.99], respectively).

Conclusions:

The prescription of any of the 21 PIMHF found to have been prescribed in this study may increase the risk of hospitalization from HF. The Thai PIMHF list may be used in pharmacy practice as an assessment tool for the appropriate use of medication in HF patients.

GRACE score and cardiovascular outcomes prediction among the delayed coronary intervention after post-fibrinolytic STEMI patients in a limited PCI-capable hospital

Background

In Thailand, due to limited availability of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)-capable hospitals, a number of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) after fibrinolytic therapy underwent the delayed coronary intervention (24 hours to 2 weeks). Existing tool such as the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Event (GRACE) to define patients at high risk of cardiovascular outcomes has been used widely, except for patients who had the delayed coronary intervention. We, therefore, evaluated the cardiovascular outcomes of STEMI patients who underwent the delayed coronary intervention.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed the data from the PCI-capable hospital (Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital) STEMI registry during the period 2007-2012. Patients who received fibrinolytic treatment (SK) and underwent the delayed coronary intervention were included. The outcomes of the study were 30-day and 6-month composite cardiovascular outcomes (including death, re-hospitalised with acute coronary syndrome, re-hospitalised with heart failure and stroke).

Results

Of all 341 patients included, 229 (67.2%) patients were in the low GRACE score group (<126 points) and 112 (32.8%) patients in the intermediate-high GRACE score group (≥126 points). At 30 days, the composite cardiovascular outcome occurred in 2.2% (n=5) in the low GRACE score group and 11.6% (n=13) in the intermediate-high GRACE score group (p value=0.001). At 6 months, the composite cardiovascular outcomes occurred in 3.9% (n=9) in the low GRACE score group and 13.4% (n=15) in the intermediate-high GRACE score group (p value=0.003). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of GRACE score for 6-month composite cardiovascular outcomes was 0.746 (95% CI 0.698 to 0.793).

Conclusion

Intermediate-high GRACE risk STEMI patients after fibrinolytic therapy in limited PCI-capable hospital who underwent the delayed coronary intervention increased 30-day and 6-month cardiovascular outcomes compared with the low GRACE risk patients. In limited available PCI-capable hospital, GRACE risk score can be helpful in guiding the cardiologists to select a proper time for coronary intervention in post-fibrinolytic STEMI patients.

Cardiovascular outcomes of early versus delayed coronary intervention in low to intermediate-risk patients with STEMI in Thailand: a randomised trial

Background

The benefit of an early coronary intervention after streptokinase (SK) therapy in low to intermediate-risk patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) still remains uncertain. The current study aimed to evaluate the cardiovascular outcomes of early versus delayed coronary intervention in low to intermediate-risk patients with STEMI after successful therapy with SK.

Methods

We randomly assigned low to intermediate Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score to patients with STEMI who had successful treatment with full-dose SK at Lampang Hospital and Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital into early and delayed coronary intervention groups. The primary endpoints were 30-day and 6-month composite cardiovascular outcomes (death, rehospitalised with acute coronary syndrome, rehospitalised with heart failure and stroke).

Results

One hundred and sixty-two patients were included in our study. At the 30 days, composite cardiovascular outcomes were 4.9% in the early coronary intervention group and 2.5% in the delayed group (p=0.682). At the 6 months, the composite cardiovascular outcomes were 16.1% in the early group and 6.2% in the delayed group (p=0.054).

Conclusions

The delayed coronary intervention (>24 hours) in low to intermediate STEMI after successful therapy with SK did not increase in short and long-term cardiovascular events compared with an early coronary intervention.

Trial registration number

NCT02131103.

Perception of educational environment among medical students in Thailand

OBJECTIVES

To examine the perception of educational environment among clinical year students in Thailand using Dundee ready education environment measure (DREEM) and identify factors associated with the DREEM scores.

METHODS

A total of 2,467 fourth- to sixth-year students from 34 teaching hospitals nationwide responded to a Thai version of DREEM questionnaire. Data on each student's sex, year of study, size of teaching hospitals and GPAX were collected. Mean total DREEM scores and subscales were calculated and then compared across groups using t-test and one-way ANOVA.

RESULTS

The overall student perception on educational environment was 'more positive than negative,' with the mean total DREEM score of 131.1 (SD=17.4). Similar findings were observed in all subscales. Mean total DREEM scores were lower in medium-size than small- and large-size teaching hospitals 129.9 (SD = 18.1), 131.9 (SD = 17.5) and 131.6 (SD=16.4) respectively (F _(2,2422)=3.21, p=0.04). Sex and years of study was associated with certain DREEM subscales.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical year medical students in Thailand were satisfied with their academic learning environment, with varying perceptions across different size of teaching hospitals. Repeat assessment of educational environment of medical schools over time is needed for monitoring changes after specific educational interventions being applied.

The prognostic utility of GRACE risk score in predictive cardiovascular event rate in STEMI patients with successful fibrinolysis and delay intervention in non PCI-capable hospital: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Fibrinolytic therapy is the main reperfusion therapy for most STEMI patients in several countries. Current practice guidelines recommended routine early pharmacoinvasive (within 3-24 h after successful fibrinolysis, however it cannot be performed in timely fashion due to limitation of PCI-capable hospitals. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic utility of the GRACE score in patients receiving delayed intervention after successful fibrinolysis in non PCI-capable hospital.

METHODS

We retrospectively analysed the data from the Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) registry during the period 2007-2012. The STEMI patients who had successfully fibrionolysis in non PCI-capable hospital and received delayed PCI (during 24 h to 14 days after successful fibrinolytic therapy) at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai hospital were included. The primary end point for this analysis was the composite outcomes, which included all-cause mortality, re-hospitalization with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), re-hospitalization with heart failure (HF) and stroke at 1 and 6-month.

RESULTS

A total of 152 patients were included. 88 patients and 64 patients were in low GRACE group (GRACE risk score ≤ 125) and intermediate to high GRACE group (GRACE risk score above 126), respectively. The median time from fibrinolysis to coronary intervention in low GRACE group was 8.5 days (interquartile range, 4.6-10.9) and 7.9 days (interquartile range,3.2,12.0) in intermediate to high GRACE group (p = 0.482). At 1 month, the composite cardiovascular outcome at 1 month occurred in 2 patients (2.3 %) in low GRACE group and 10 patients (15.6 %) in intermediate to high GRACE group (P = 0.003). During 6 months, the composite cardiovascular outcomes occurred in 6 patients (6.8 %) in low GRACE group and 12 patients (18.7 %) in intermediate to high GRACE group (P = 0.024). The cumulative of composite cardiovascular outcome was significant higher in intermediate to high GRACE group than in low GRACE group (Hazard ratio: 2.97, 95 % CI 1.11-7.90; p = 0.030).

CONCLUSION

The long delay pharmacoinvasive strategy in intermediate to high GRACE score after successful fibrinolysis in non PCI-capable facilities were associated with worse cardiovascular outcomes than the patients with low GRACE score at 1 and 6 months. GRACE risk score may be helpful and guided the clinicians in non PCI-capable center in early transferred to early intervention in STEMI patients after fibrinolytic therapy.