Predictor Of Long-term Cardiovascular Mortality Research Articles

Predictive Value of the Prognostic Nutritional Index for Long-Term Mortality in Patients with Advanced Heart Failure.

Malnutrition is common in patients with advanced heart failure (HF), and both conditions have a poor prognosis. We sought to determine the predictive value of nutritional status using the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) for long-term mortality in patients with advanced HF. This is a retrospective observational study. The optimal PNI cut-off value for predicting all-cause mortality was determined to be 50.5 using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Patients were divided into two groups: the low PNI (≤ 50.5) and high PNI (> 50.5) group. A total of 217 patients (age 48.9 ± 9.9 years, 82.5% male) with advanced HF were included in this study. The mean follow-up duration was 28.6 ± 19.4 months. The high PNI group had higher 5-year all-cause and cardiovascular death-free survival rates compared to the low PNI group (86.7% vs. 24.6%, log-rank p < 0.001) and (89.6% vs. 36.1%, log-rank p < 0.001), respectively. In multivariable Cox regression analyses, low PNI [hazard ratio (HR): 4.70; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.19-10.11, p < 0.001] and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) (HR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.03, p = 0.04) were found to be independent predictors of long-term all-cause mortality. Low PNI (HR: 4.52; 95% CI: 1.99-10.24, p < 0.001), hsCRP (HR: 1.01; 95% CI: 1.00-1.03, p = 0.04), and New York Heart Association class IV vs. III (HR: 2.56; 95% CI: 1.36-4.82, p = 0.03) were also found to be independent predictors of long-term cardiovascular mortality. PNI was found to be an independent predictor of long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with advanced HF, and it can be used as an objective and simple tool for risk stratification.

Short and Long-Term Prognostic Significance of Galectin-3 in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

This study evaluated the short and long-term prognostic value of galectin-3 in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients (n = 143) were admitted with STEMI and followed up for 2years. The study population was divided into high and low galectin-3 groups based on the admission median value of serum galectin-3. Primary clinical outcomes consisted of cardiovascular (CV) mortality, non-fatal reinfarction, stroke, and target vessel revascularization (TVR). CV events were recorded in hospital and at 1 and 2years. The primary clinical outcomes (in-hospital, 1year and 2year) were significantly higher in the high galectin-3 group. (P = .008, P = .004, P = .002, respectively). High galectin-3 levels were also associated with heart failure development and re-hospitalization at both 1year (P = .029, P = .009, respectively) and 2years (P = .019, P = .036, respectively). According to Cox multivariate analysis, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was an independent predictor of 2-year cardiovascular mortality (P = .009), whereas galectin-3 was not (P = .291). Although high galectin-3 levels were not independent predictors of long-term CV mortality in patients with acute STEMI who underwent primary PCI, it was associated with short-term and long-term development of adverse CV events, heart failure, and re-hospitalization.

Prediction of SYNTAX score II improvement by adding temporal heart rate changes between discharge and first outpatient visit in patients with acute myocardial infarction

BackgroundThe prognostic ability of the temporal changes in resting heart rate (ΔHR) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) for cardiovascular (CV) mortality and clinical outcomes is rarely examined. This study investigated the predictive value of ΔHR using models with SYNTAX score II (SxS-II) for the long-term prognosis of patients with AMI.MethodsSix hundred five AMI patients with vital signs recorded at the first outpatient visit (2–4 weeks after discharge) were retrospectively recruited into this study. The changes between discharge and outpatient resting heart rate (D-O ΔHR) were calculated by subtracting the HR at the first post-discharge visit from the value recorded at discharge. The major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) include cardiovascular death, recurrent myocardial infarction, revascularization, and nonfatal stroke. The predictive values and reclassification ability of the different models were assessed using a likelihood ratio test, Akaike’s information criteria (AIC), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI).ResultsDuring the follow-up period, a drop-in resting heart rate (RHR) from discharge to first outpatient visit was independently associated with less risk of CV mortality [D-O ΔHR: hazards ratio (HR) = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.96–0.99, P < 0.001] and MACCE (HR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.97–0.99, p = 0.001). The likelihood test indicated that the combined model of SxS-II and D-O ΔHR yielded the lowest AIC for CV mortality and MACCE (P < 0.001). Moreover, D-O ΔHR alone significantly improved the net reclassification and integrated discrimination of the models containing SxS-II for CV mortality and MACCE (CV mortality: NRI = 0.5600, P = 0.001 and IDI = 0.0759, P = 0.03; MACCE: NRI = 0.2231, P < 0.05 and IDI = 0.0107, P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe change in D-O ΔHR was an independent predictor of long-term CV mortality and MACCE. The D-O ΔHR combined with SxS-II could significantly improve its predictive probability.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts coronary artery lesion severity and long-term cardiovascular mortality in patients with unstable angina pectoris

Objectives Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), one of the composite biomarker of systemic inflammatory status, was proved promising in predicting clinical outcomes of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, there were no evidences that NLR was directly relative to the clinical outcomes of unstable angina pectoris (UAP). Therefore, this study was aimed to detect whether NLR could predict the coronary artery lesion severity (indicated as SYNTAX score) and clinical outcomes (especially long-term cardiovascular mortality) in patients with. Methods In the single-centre retrospective study, 4110 patients with UAP were enrolled and divided into two groups according to their primary NLR values and followed up at a median time duration of 36 months. The differences of SYNTAX score and cardiovascular mortality between groups were analysed, and the predictive value of NLR was determined. Results NLR was positively and linearly correlated with SYNTAX score (r = 0.270). Diabetes (p = 0.049), lymphocyte (p = 0.004), NLR (p = 0.002) and SYNTAX score (p < 0.001) were independent predictors of long-term cardiovascular mortality in patients with UAP. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed higher occurrence of cardiovascular mortality when NLR > 2.38 (p = 0.015). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that NLR = 2.76 is an effective cut point for predicting cardiovascular mortality (69.2% sensitivity, 64.8% specificity). Conclusions NLR value was positively related to the severity of coronary artery lesion and proved to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality in patients with UAP. This study would contribute to therapy and prognosis optimisation of UAP.

Plasma Trimethylamine-N-Oxide Is an Independent Predictor of Long-Term Cardiovascular Mortality in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Acute Coronary Syndrome.

To investigate the association of liver metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) with cardiovascular disease (CV)-related and all-cause mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. Our prospective observational study enrolled 292 patients with ACS. Plasma concentrations of TMAO were measured during the hospitalization for ACS. Observation period lasted seven yr in median. Adjusted Cox-regression analysis was used for prediction of mortality. ROC curve analysis revealed that increasing concentrations of TMAO levels assessed at the time point of ACS significantly predicted the risk of CV mortality (c-index=0.78, p < 0.001). The cut-off value of >4 μmol/L, labeled as high TMAO level (23% of study population), provided the greatest sum of sensitivity (85%) and specificity (80%) for the prediction of CV mortality and was associated with a positive predictive value of 16% and a negative predictive value of 99%. A multivariate Cox regression model revealed that high TMAO level was a strong and independent predictor of CV death (HR = 11.62, 95% CI: 2.26–59.67; p = 0.003). High TMAO levels as compared with low TMAO levels were associated with the highest risk of CV death in a subpopulation of patients with diabetes mellitus (27.3 vs. 2.6%; p = 0.004). Although increasing TMAO levels were also significantly associated with all-cause mortality, their estimates for diagnostic accuracy were low. High TMAO level is a strong and independent predictor of long-term CV mortality among patients presenting with ACS.

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells as predictors of long-term cardiovascular mortality after myocardial infarction: which definition should we use?

Abstract Background Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are bone marrow-derived cells that play a crucial role in vascular repair after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Recent studies suggest that circulating EPCs levels may be useful as a surrogate biomarker for cardiovascular (CV) events. Nevertheless, the lack of a consensual definition and phenotypic characterization of EPCs hampers its use in clinical practice. CD34+KDR+, CD45dimCD34+KDR+ and CD34+CD133+KDR+ are among the most used antigenic phenotypes to define circulating EPCs but the best phenotype to predict CV outcomes remains to be determined. Purpose To determine the EPCs' surface phenotype that best predicts long-term CV death after an AMI, and to evaluate its optimal cut-off point. Methods One-hundred AMI patients were prospectively enrolled in the study. Circulating EPCs were quantified through high-performance flow cytometer within the first 24 hours of admission using different surface markers combinations allowing to simultaneously compare three EPCs definitions: 1) CD34+KDR+, 2) CD45dimCD34+KDR+, 3) CD34+CD133+KDR+. Mean follow-up time was 8.0±2.2 years. Results The mean age of our population was 59.7±11.0, the majority of patients were male (90%), 65% had ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 35% non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Diabetes mellitus was present in 38% and hypertension in 67% of the studied sample. During the long-term follow-up, 34 patients had re-admissions due to cardiovascular causes, 11 of them for AMI. Thirty-one patients had major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and 19 died. Using ROC curves, the CD34+KDR+ phenotype showed the biggest area under the curve regarding prediction of CV mortality (0.722; p=0.010; confidence interval 95% (CI95%): 0.554 to 0.890). Patients with lower levels of EPCs according to this definition (≤0.022%) are 7 times more likely to die from CV causes at any time (hazard ratio = 7.55; p=0.008; CI95% 1.69 to 33.83). Conclusion The CD34+KDR+ phenotype appears to be the best definition of circulating EPCs for predicting long-term CV mortality after AMI. Further studies with larger samples are needed to clarify the optimal cut-off point for determining patients at risk and its role in everyday Cardiology. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Bolsa de Estudo João Porto da Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia CD34+KDR+ as a predictor of CV death

Interleukin-6 level is a powerful predictor of long-term cardiovascular mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome

BackgroundThe interleukin-6 (IL-6) pathway has a crucial role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, the main cause of cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to characterize the predictive value of inflammatory biomarkers on long-term cardiovascular mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). MethodsThis prospective observational study included 322 consecutive patients with ACS undergoing PCI. Blood-derived biomarkers IL-6 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were assessed at the time point of ACS. Patients were followed-up for 6 years. Long-term cardiovascular mortality was our primary endpoint. Adjusted Cox-regression analysis was used for prediction of events. ResultsElevated IL-6 values (≥3.3 pg/mL) emerged as an independent and the most powerful predictor for cardiovascular mortality: the ROC analysis showed that IL-6 was more accurate for cardiovascular mortality prediction as compared to hsCRP (IL-6: AUC = 0.72; 95%CI: 0.62–0.81; p = 0.009 vs hsCRP: AUC = 0.56; 95%CI: 0.41–0.72; p = 0.445). The positive predictive value of IL-6 for mortality was 9%, the negative predictive value 99%, sensitivity 94% and specificity 48%. The primary endpoint of long-term cardiovascular death occurred more frequently in patients with high vs low IL-6 (9.0% vs 0.5%, p = 0.001). The multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that patients with high IL-6 (≥3.3 pg/mL) values were at 8.6-fold higher hazard to die than those with low IL-6 (<3.3 pg/mL) levels (adj. hazard ratio [HR] = 8.60, 95%CI: 1.07–69.32; p = 0.043). ConclusionIn the setting of ACS, high IL-6 values are associated with substantial long-term cardiovascular mortality. Further, IL-6 performs as a superior predictor for cardiovascular death as compared to hsCRP.

Homocysteine is an independent predictor of long-term cardiovascular mortality in patients with stable coronary artery disease in the era of statins

Homocysteine is an independent predictor of long-term cardiovascular mortality in patients with stable coronary artery disease in the era of statins

Blood urea nitrogen has additive value beyond estimated glomerular filtration rate for prediction of long-term mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction

ObjectivesBlood urea nitrogen (BUN) has been shown to independently predict short- and intermediate-term outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We aimed to assess the additive predictive value of BUN beyond estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in AMI patients with an 8.6-year follow-up. MethodsThis retrospective, observational single-centre study included 1332 consecutive AMI patients (median age 64 years, 58.4% male). BUN, creatinine and eGFR were determined at hospital admission. ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 8.6 years (interquartile range [IQR] 4.0–11.6), 408 patients (30.6%) experienced the study endpoint of cardiovascular mortality. BUN (median 17.0 mg/dL [IQR 13.5–22.7]) was a significant predictor of cardiovascular mortality in univariate Cox regression (hazard ratio (HR) per 1 standard deviation increase 2.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.94–2.28, p < .001). This association remained significant after multivariable adjustment for demographics, clinical variables and eGFR (adjusted HR 1.52 [CI 1.16–2.00, p = .003]). The association between BUN and outcome was more pronounced in patients with eGFR >60 mL/min/1.73m2 (HR 2.81 [CI 2.20–3.58, p < .001]). The discriminatory abilities (Harrell's C-statistic) for BUN, eGFR and creatinine were 0.75, 0.76 and 0.67, respectively. The addition of BUN to eGFR significantly improved the C-statistic (0.78, p for comparison = 0.017), net reclassification (23.7%, p < .001) and integrated discrimination (2.9%, p < .001). ConclusionsCirculating BUN on admission is an independent predictor of long-term cardiovascular mortality in AMI patients and adds predictive power beyond eGFR. BUN reflects not only kidney function, but also acute haemodynamic and neurohumoral alterations during AMI, and may help to identify high-risk patients.

Hyperuricaemia and development of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Asian population.

Recently, meta-analysis studies reported that hyperuricaemia is associated with higher incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), however, there are limited data on the Asian population. The aim of this observational study is to estimate the long-term impact of hyperuricaemia on the new-onset T2DM and cardiovascular events. This study is based on a single-centre, all-comers, and large retrospective cohort. Subjects that visited from January 2004 to February 2014 were enrolled using the electronic database of Korea University Guro Hospital. A total of 10505 patients without a history of T2DM were analyzed for uric acid, fasting glucose and haemoglobin (Hb) A1c level. Inclusion criteria included both Hb A1c <5.7% and fasting glucose level <100mg/dL without T2DM. Hyperuricaemia was defined as a uric acid level ≥7.0mg/dL in men, and ≥6.5mg/dL in women. To adjust baseline confounders, a propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed. The impact of hyperuricaemia on the new-onset T2DM and cardiovascular events were compared with the non-hyperuricaemia during the 5-year clinical follow-up. After PSM, baseline characteristics of both groups were balanced. In a 5-year follow-up, the hyperuricaemia itself was a strong independent predictor of the incidence of new-onset T2DM (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.12 to 2.8). Hyperuricaemia was a strong independent predictor of new-onset T2DM, which suggests a substantial implication for a correlation between uric acid concentration and insulin resistance (or insulin sensitivity). Also, hyperuricaemia is substantially implicated in cardiovascular risks and the further long-term cardiovascular events in the crude population, but it is not an independent predictor of long-term cardiovascular mortality in the matched population.

Role of Microalbuminuria in Predicting Cardiovascular Mortality in Individuals With Subclinical Hypothyroidism

PurposeStudies suggest that subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is related to cardiovascular mortality (CVM). We explored the role of microalbuminuria (MIA) as a predictor of long-term CVM in population with and without SCH with normal kidney function. Materials and MethodsWe examined the National Health and Nutrition Education Survey - III database (n = 6,812). Individuals younger than 40 years, thyroid-stimulating hormone levels ≥20 and ≤0.35mIU/L, estimated glomerular filtration rate <60mL/minute/1.73m2 and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio of >250mg/g in men and >355mg/g in women were excluded. SCH was defined as thyroid-stimulating hormone levels between 5 and 19.99mIU/L and serum T4 levels between 5 and 12µg/dL. MIA was defined as urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio of 17-250mg/g in men and 25-355mg/g in women. Patients were categorized into the following 4 groups: (1) no SCH or MIA, (2) MIA, but no SCH, (3) SCH, but no MIA and (4) both SCH and MIA. ResultsPrevalence of MIA in the subclinical hypothyroid cohort was 21% compared to 16.4% in those without SCH (P = 0.03). SCH was a significant independent predictor of MIA (n = 6,812), after adjusting for traditional risk factors (unadjusted odds ratio = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.24-2.48; P = 0.002 and adjusted odds ratio = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.2-2.79; P = 0.006). MIA was a significant independent predictor of long-term all-cause (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.24-2.33) and CVM (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.07-2.76) in subclinical hypothyroid individuals. ConclusionsIn a cohort of subclinical hypothyroid individuals, the presence of MIA predicts increased risk of CVM as compared to nonmicroalbuminurics with SCH. Further randomized trials are needed to assess the benefits of treating microalbuminuric subclinical hypothyroid individuals and impact on CVM.

Usefulness of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in predicting long-term cardiovascular mortality in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease

IntroductionInflammation and increased platelet activation play a crucial role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has recently been reported as a new independent predictor for major adverse cardiovascular events in cardiovascular diseases.AimTo investigate the relation between PLR and cardiovascular mortality in patients with intermittent claudication or critical limb ischemia (CLI) or both.Material and methodsIn our retrospective study, 602 consecutive patients who were admitted to a large tertiary hospital with the diagnosis of symptomatic peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) were included. Patients were divided into two groups according to their PLR as follows: high PLR (PLR > 142) and low PLR (PLR ≤ 142) groups.ResultsDuring the follow-up period (median: 33.8 months (interquartile range: 21–45)), 131 deaths occurred out of 602 (21.8%) patients. Cardiovascular mortality was found to be significantly higher in the high PLR group compared to the low PLR group (31.6% vs. 17.2 %; p < 0.001). Even after adjustment for various risk factors, PLR > 142 and age were found to be independent predictors of long-term cardiovascular mortality in Cox regression analysis (hazard ratios (95% confidence interval): 1.03 (1.01–1.04) and 1.04 (1.02–1.06), p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively).ConclusionsPlatelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, which is one of the parameters of routine complete blood count, reflects increased inflammatory status, platelet activation and aggregation. PLR is a cheap and readily available marker that has the ability to improve risk stratification provided by conventional risk scores in predicting long-term cardiovascular mortality in PAOD.

Long-term prognostic significance of admission plateletcrit values in patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction.

The plateletcrit has been investigated as a new predictor of cardiovascular risk. The objective of our study was to investigate the role of admission plateletcrit in predicting long-term cardiovascular mortality in patients presenting with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). We enrolled 296 patients with NSTEMI (mean age 59.2 ± 11.8 years; 228 men, 68 women) in this study. The study population was divided into tertiles on the basis of admission plateletcrit values. A high plateletcrit (n = 98) was defined as a value in the upper third tertile (plateletcrit >0.23), and a low plateletcrit (n = 198) was defined as any value in the lower two tertiles (plateletcrit ≤0.23). The median follow-up time was 38 months. In multivariate analyses, a significant association was noted between high plateletcrit values and the adjusted risk of long-term mortality (odds ratio = 12.15, 95% confidence interval = 1.78-82.77; P < 0.001). In the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the long-term mortality rate was 20.4% in the high plateletcrit group versus 4.5% in the low plateletcrit group (P < 0.001). Long-term major advanced cardiac events (MACE), hospitalization for heart failure and reinfarction were significantly higher in patients with high plateletcrit. Admission plateletcrit is a strong and independent predictor of long-term cardiovascular mortality in patients with NSTEMI.

IMPACT OF MITRAL REGURGITATION ON 2-YEAR CLINICAL OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION: PROPENSITY SCORE MATCHED ANALYSIS

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a pow¬erful predictor of long-term cardiovascular mortality after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However there are limited data regarding impact of mitral regurgitation on long-term clinical outcomes in patients (pts) with AMI in Korean population. Among a total 28

Long-term prognostic significance of pentraxin-3 in patients with acute myocardial infarction: 5-year prospective cohort study.

Objective:A predictive role of serum Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) for short-term adverse cardiovascular events including mortality in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was reported in recent studies. The aim of the study was to investigate long-term prognostic significance of serum PTX3 in an AMI with 5-year follow-up period in this study.Methods:In this prospective study, 140 patients, who were admitted to the emergency department between January 2011 and December 2011 with acute chest pain and/or dyspnea and diagnosed with AMI and 60 healthy controls were included. PTX3 levels were measured at admission by using an ELISA method. The study group was divided into tertiles on the basis of admission PTX3 values: the high-PTX3 group (≥4.27 ng/mL), the middle-PTX3 groups (4.27–1.63 ng/mL), and the low-PTX3 group (≤1.63 ng/mL).Results:PTX3 level was significantly more greatly increased in the AMI group than in the controls (2.27±0.81 vs. 0.86±0.50 ng/mL, p<0.001). PTX3 level was found to be significantly positively correlated with TIMI score (r=0.368, p=0.037), high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) (r=0.452, p=0.024), pro-BNP (r=0.386, p=0.029), troponin I (r=0.417, p=<0.001), and GRACE score (r=0.355, p=0.045), and negatively correlated with HDL cholesterol (r=–0.203, p=0.016) and LVEF (r=–0.345, p=0.028). In multivariate analysis, PTX3 (OR=1.12, 95% CI 1.04–1.20; p=0.001) was a significant independent predictor of long-term cardiovascular mortality, after adjusting for other risk factors.Conclusion:PTX3 is a novel biomarker that may help to identify high risk individuals with AMI, who are potentially at risk of early major adverse cardiovascular events including mortality in the long-term period.

The prognostic value of admission mean platelet volume to platelet count ratio in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Mean platelet volume to platelet count (MPV/Plt) ratio has been demonstrated to be a good indicator of long-term mortality in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). However, the prognostic value of MPV/Plt in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is not reported. To determine whether the MPV/Plt ratio on admission has any predictive value for major adverse cardiac events including short- and long-term mortality in STEMI. In this prospective study, 470 STEMI patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were enrolled. The patients were divided into three tertiles based on the MPV/Plt ratio on admission. The first tertile (n = 149) was defined as MPV/Plt ratio ≤ 0.029, second tertile (n = 154) 0.029-0.038, and third tertile (n = 159) ≥ 0.038. Primary clinical outcomes consisted of the sum of cardiovascular (CV) mortality, non-fatal re-infarction, and stroke. Secondary clinical outcomes were CV mortality, non-fatal re-infarction, target-vessel revascularisation, stroke, and advanced heart failure. There was no difference between study groups regarding the primary (p > 0.05) and the secondary outcomes (p > 0.05) except for one-year non-fatal re-infarction rate, which was found to be significantly higher in the highest MPV/Plt ratio group (p = 0.045). Age, Killip class > 1, and left ventricular ejection fraction were found to be independent predictors of long-term CV mortality in multivariate analysis (p = 0.009, p = 0.035, and p < 0.001, respectively). While the MPV/Plt ratio was demonstrated to be associated with one-year non-fatal re-infarction, it was not related to in-hospital, one-month, and one-year CV mortality in patients with STEMI, who underwent primary PCI.

The predictive value of elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio for long-term cardiovascular mortality in peripheral arterial occlusive disease

BackgroundPeripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD), which is common in male gender and elderly population, is related with increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been found to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality in atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between NLR and cardiovascular mortality both in patients with intermittent claudication and critical limb ischemia. MethodsIn a retrospective study, 593 consecutive patients who had been admitted to the inpatient ward of the vascular department of a large tertiary training and research hospital with diagnosis of symptomatic PAOD between May 2009 and September 2012 were included. Patients were divided into two groups according to their NLR as follows: high NLR (NLR>3.0) and low NLR (NLR≤3.0) groups. ResultsDuring the course of the present study [median follow-up period of 20 months (interquartile range, 12–27)], 75 deaths occurred out of 508 patients (14.8%). Cardiovascular mortality was found to be significantly higher in elevated NLR group (n=43) as compared to low NLR group (n=32) (23.6% vs 9.8%, respectively; p<0.001). Even after adjustment of various risk factors, NLR>3 and age were found as independent predictors of long-term cardiovascular mortality in Cox regression analysis [hazard ratios (95% confidence interval), 2.04 (1.26–3.30) and 1.04 (1.01–1.07), p=0.004 and p=0.004, respectively]. ConclusionWe demonstrated that an increased NLR was related with higher cardiovascular mortality in patients with PAOD, who were admitted with critical limb ischemia or intermittent claudication. NLR, which reflects the patient's inflammatory status, is an inexpensive and readily available biomarker that provides an additional level of risk stratification beyond that provided by conventional risk scores in predicting long-term cardiovascular mortality in PAOD.

Long-term prognostic value of admission haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

IntroductionMany studies have reported the diagnostic and prognostic value of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in patients with acute coronary syndrome. However, the short- and long-term prognostic value of HbA1c level in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is controversial.AimTo investigate whether admission HbA1c level has a prognostic value for in-hospital, short-, and long-term cardiovascular (CV) mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI.Material and methodsThis prospective study included 443 consecutive patients with STEMI who underwent primary PCI between September 2010 and July 2012. The patients were divided into three groups based on admission HbA1c levels: group I (HbA1c ≤ 5.6%), group II (HbA1c 5.7–6.4%), and group III (HbA1c ≥ 6.5%). The in-hospital, 1-month, and 1-year CV events of all 3 patient groups were followed up.ResultsA significant association was found between HbA1c level and 1-year primary clinical outcomes, including CV mortality, non-fatal reinfarction, and stroke (p = 0.037). In addition, age, Killip class > 1, and left ventricular ejection fraction were found to be independent predictors of long-term CV mortality in multivariate analysis (hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) 1.081 (1.020–1.146), 4.182 (1.171–14.935), and 0.832 (0.752–0.920); p = 0.009, p = 0.028, and p < 0.001, respectively).ConclusionsIn this study, we demonstrated that increased admission HbA1c levels were associated with higher rates of major adverse CV events, including mortality, non-fatal reinfarction, and stroke, in patients with STEMI who underwent primary PCI.

Baseline White Blood Cell Count Is an Independent Predictor of Long-Term Cardiovascular Mortality in Patients with Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome, but It Does Not Improve the Risk Classification of the GRACE Score

Objectives: To investigate the prognostic significance of baseline white blood cell count (WBCc) in non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and its additive predictive value beyond the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score. Methods: We included 1,315 consecutive NSTE-ACS patients. Patients were divided in quartiles according to the WBCc (cells per 1 mm³) i.e. Q1 <6,850, Q2 = 6,850–8,539, Q3 = 8,540–10,857 and Q4 ≥10,858. The study end point was 3-year cardiovascular death (CVD). Results: The median age of the study population was 76 years. Overall, 335 patients (25.5%) died with 211 of these (16%) suffering from CVD. Patients in Q4 showed a higher cumulative probability of CVD compared to patients in Q1–Q3. On multivariable analysis, patients in Q4 were at higher risk of CVD [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09–1.98, p = 0.011]. WBCc as a continuous variable was also independently associated with the study end point (HR = 1.043; 95% CI 1.02–1.07; p = 0.001). However, the incorporation of WBCc into the GRACE score did not improve either prediction of risk (C-index = 0.796 for GRACE score with or without WBCc) or classification of risk [relative integrated discrimination improvement = 0.0154, 95% CI) –0.029 to 0.0618; continuous net reclassification improvement = –0.0676, 95% CI –0.2149–0.0738). Conclusions: WBCc was an independent predictor of 3-year CVD in patients with NSTE-ACS. However, it did not add prognostic information beyond the GRACE score.

N-Terminal Pro B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Identifies Patients with Chest Pain at High Long-term Cardiovascular Risk

Background Little is known about the long-term prognostic value of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in low-risk patients with chest pain. Methods Between June 1997 and January 2000, a standard rule-out protocol was performed in patients presenting to the emergency department within 6 hours of onset of chest pain with a normal or nondiagnostic electrocardiogram (ECG) on admission at the Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam and Medical Center Alkmaar, The Netherlands. Patients with acute coronary syndrome were identified by troponin T, recurrent angina, and serial ECGs. CRP and NT-proBNP on admission were measured using standardized methods. Results A total of 524 patients were included (145 with acute coronary syndrome and 379 with rule-out acute coronary syndrome). Long-term follow-up was successfully carried out in 96% of the study population. Death occurred in 78 patients (15%), 43 (11%) in the rule-out acute coronary syndrome group and 35 (24%) in the acute coronary syndrome group ( P < .001). In the rule-out acute coronary syndrome group, 21 patients (42%) died of a cardiovascular cause compared with 24 patients (69%) in the acute coronary syndrome group ( P < .001). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, age more than 65 years, previous myocardial infarction, known chronic heart failure, a nondiagnostic ECG on admission, and elevated NT-proBNP levels (>87 pg/mL, as derived from the receiver operating characteristic curve) were independent predictors of long-term cardiovascular mortality in the rule-out acute coronary syndrome group. In the acute coronary syndrome group, these predictors were age more than 65 years, documented coronary artery disease, and elevated NT-proBNP levels. Elevated levels of CRP were an independent predictor for cardiovascular mortality in patients with rule-out acute coronary syndrome at 3-year follow-up only. In patients with rule-out acute coronary syndrome with normal CRP and NT-proBNP levels, the cardiovascular mortality incidence rate was 4.7 per 1000 person-years, compared with a death rate of 20 in patients with both biomarkers elevated, which was comparable to the 17.9 per 1000 person-years incidence rate in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Conclusion A positive biomarker panel discriminates patients with rule-out acute coronary syndrome chest pain with a normal or nondiagnostic ECG who have a high risk for long-term cardiovascular mortality.