An old friend: uric acid and its association with fractional flow reserve

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of preprocedural uric acid (UA) level in predicting fractional flow reserve (FFR) results of intermediate coronary lesions in patients with stable coronary artery disease undergoing coronary angiography. Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed 293 patients who underwent FFR measurement to determine the significance of intermediate coronary stenosis detected by conventional coronary angiography. Patients were divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (n = 127) included patients with FFR of <0.80 (hemodynamically significant lesions), and Group 2 (n = 169) consisted of patients with FFR of >0.80 (hemodynamically nonsignificant lesions). Uric acid levels were assessed in both groups with the enzymatic colorimetric method by clinical chemistry autoanalyzer. Results: The mean UA level was significantly higher in patients whose FFR indicated hemodynamically significant coronary lesions (UA: 5.43 ± 1.29 mg/dL in Group 1 vs. 4.51 ± 1.34 mg/dL in Group 2, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Elevated UA levels are associated with hemodynamically significant coronary lesions measured with FFR. Uric acid may be used as a predictor of hemodynamically compromised coronary lesions before FFR procedures.

Red cell distribution width predicts totally occluded infarct-related artery in NSTEMI.

Objective Since non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients with totally occluded infarct-related artery (TO-IRA) have worse prognosis, it is important to recognize TO-IRA in NSTEMI. Red cell distribution width (RDW) and mean platelet volume (MPV) are novel markers of inflammation and oxidative stress and were associated with poor clinical outcomes in acute coronary syndrome. In the present study, association of RDW and MPV with the presence of TO-IRA in NSTEMI was investigated. Methods Data of 201 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography with a diagnosis of NSTEMI were analyzed. Independent predictors of TO-IRA were investigated with logistic regression analysis. Results Sixty-six (32.8%) of the patients had TO-IRA. In patients with TO-IRA, RDW and troponin-T were significantly higher and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was lower. MPV did not differ between groups. Circumflex (CX) IRA was more common in TO-IRA group. The ROC curve analysis showed that the RDW at a cut-point of 13.95% has 76% sensitivity and 66% specificity in detecting TO-IRA. RDW, troponin-T, LVEF and CX-IRA were independent predictors of TO-IRA in NSTEMI, but MPV was not. Conclusion RDW is a cheap and readily available marker that may have a role to predict TO-IRA in NSTEMI.

Usefulness of the Macruz Index for Predicting Successful Percutaneous Mitral Balloon Valvuloplasty in Patients with Mitral Stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether the Macruz index (P/P-R segment) could predict the severity of valvular involvement and the success of percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMBV) in patients with mitral stenosis (MS). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty-one patients with MS eligible for PMBV and 72 healthy subjects (61 females and 11 males) with sinus rhythm were enrolled into this study. PMBV was performed in all patients using a percutaneous transseptal antegrade approach and a multitrack balloon technique. The P/P-R segment ratio and echocardiographic variables were measured before and 48-72 h after the procedure. The optimal cutoff point for differences in the Macruz index to determine clinical success was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic analysis by calculating the area under the curve as giving the maximum sum of sensitivity and specificity for the significant test. RESULTS: In the patient group (mean age 42.9 ± 11.1 years), the preprocedural Macruz index was significantly higher than in the control group (2.79 ± 1.03 vs. 1.29 ± 0.11; p < 0.001). In the successful-procedure group (n = 53), the mean postindex value was significantly lower (2.12 ± 0.71 vs. 2.81 ± 1.0, p = 0.020), and the decrease in the Macruz index was significantly higher than in the unsuccessful-procedure group (p = 0.007). An index decrease of 0.105 was the best cutoff value to distinguish the successful-PMBV group from the unsuccessful- PMBV group (area under the curve = 0.888, 95% confidence interval 0.788-0.988, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The Macruz index was significantly higher in patients with MS compared to healthy subjects. A greater decrease in the Macruz index was associated with a successful PMBV.

Red Cell Distribution Width Can Predict the Significance of Angiographically Intermediate Coronary Lesions.

OBJECTIVE: In the present study, the association between red cell distribution width (RDW) with functional significance of intermediate coronary artery lesions was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and forty-six consecutive patients, 168 males and 78 females, who underwent fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurement for angiographically intermediate coronary stenosis (40-70% in quantitative coronary analysis) in the left anterior descending coronary artery were enrolled into the study. The functional significance of intermediate coronary artery lesions was determined by FFR measurement. An FFR value <0.75 was defined as functionally significant. Venous blood samples were taken within 48 h before the FFR measurement, and RDW levels were determined by a Coulter LH Series hematology analyzer. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between functional significance in FFR measurement and other variables. RESULTS: Of the 246 patients, 62 (25.2%) exhibited significant functional stenosis (FFR <0.75) in the FFR measurement. The mean RDW level was significantly higher in patients with significant stenosis (14.19 ± 0.73 vs. 13.69 ± 0.77, p < 0.001). In stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis, RDW (OR = 2.489, 95% CI = 1.631-3.799, p < 0.001) and male gender (OR = 2.826, 95% CI = 1.347-5.928, p = 0.006) were independent predictors of significant functional stenosis. CONCLUSION: Increased RDW levels were associated with functional significance of angiographically intermediate coronary artery stenoses.

Fragmented QRS can predict severity of aortic stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Fragmented QRS (fQRS) is an indicator of nonhomogeneous ventricular activity caused by myocardial fibrosis. Aortic stenosis (AS) is known to be a cause of myocardial fibrosis. We aimed to investigate the relationship of fQRS with severity of AS, echocardiographic, and electrocardiographic findings, and development of atrial fibrillation and manifest heart failure in AS patients. METHODS: One hundred four patients with moderate and severe AS were recruited for the study. Patients with mitral or tricuspid stenosis, previous myocardial infarction, segmental wall motion abnormality or left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) below 50% and patients with complete-incomplete BBB and pacemaker rhythm were excluded. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 69 ± 14.8 and 73.1% had fQRS. Patients with fQRS had lower LVEF, higher mean QRS duration, intrinsic deflection, Cornell voltage, Romhilt-Estes Score, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, mean and peak systolic transaortic gradients and left atrium diameter. Manifest heart failure was more frequent in patients with fQRS. In stepwise multivariate logistic regression analyze, manifest heart failure, peak systolic transaortic gradient, LVEF, intrinsic deflection, strain pattern and Cornell voltage were independently associated with fQRS. Strain pattern and fQRS were found as independent predictors of severe AS. CONCLUSIONS: fQRS is independently associated with the severity of AS while traditional LVH criteria, except strain pattern, are not. fQRS may be better than traditional ECG criteria of LVH and echocardiographic LVH as an indicator of myocardial fibrosis in AS. Thus, fQRS may have a role in determining the severity and prognosis of AS.

Impaired cardiac autonomic functions in apparently healthy subjects with vitamin D deficiency.

OBJECTIVES: Vitamin D (VitD) deficiency affects the cardiovascular system via endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine pathways. Limited data are available regarding cardiac autonomic dysfunction in VitD deficiency. The aim of this study was to assess the cardiac autonomic functions by using heart rate recovery index (HRRI) and heart rate variability (HRV) in apparently healthy subjects with VitD deficiency. METHODS: A total of 24 VitD deficient and 50 age-, gender-, and body mass index-matched VitD sufficient healthy participants who admitted to outpatient clinics at a tertiary centre were enrolled. All study participants underwent Treadmill exercise test and 24-hour Holter recording to assess cardiac autonomic functions. HRRIs were calculated by subtracting first, second, and third minute heart rates during recovery period from maximal heart rate. RESULTS: Mean HRR1 (28.0 ± 8.3 vs 42.8 ± 6.4, P < 0.001), HRR2 (41.1 ± 11.2 vs 60.8 ± 10.4, P < 0.001), and HRR3 (44.9 ± 13.3 vs 65.9 ± 9.8, P < 0.001) were significantly higher in VitD sufficient group compared to VitD deficient group. HRV parameters as, SDNN (P = 0.040), SDANN (P < 0.001), RMSSD (P < 0.001), PNN50 (P < 0.001), and HF (P < 0.001) were significantly decreased in patients with VitD deficiency; but LF (P < 0.001) and LF/HF (P = 0.003) were significantly higher in VitD deficient group. Serum 25(OH)D level was positively correlated with HRRIs (P < 0.001), PNN50, RMSSD, SDANN, and HFnu; negatively correlated with LFnu and LF/HF (P < 0.05). Also, multivariate linear regression analysis showed that serum 25(OH)D level was significantly associated with HRRIs and HRV parameters (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study results suggest that cardiac autonomic functions are impaired in patients with VitD deficiency despite the absence of overt cardiac involvement and symptoms. Further studies are needed to elucidate the prognostic significance and clinical implications of impaired autonomic functions in patients with VitD deficiency.

Association between Plasma Fibrinogen Level and Saphenous Vein Graft Patency.

BACKGROUND: Fibrinogen is related to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The inflammatory process in atherosclerosis may cause an increase in plasma fibrinogen level. Therefore, in this study we proposed to investigate whether plasma fibrinogen is associated with the patency of saphenous vein graft in patients at least 1 year after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. METHODS: Patients who had undergone CABG surgery at least 1 year previously with at least one saphenous vein graft were included in the study. Patients were directed to cardiac catheterization for stable anginal symptoms or positive stress test results. Before coronary angiography, all patients underwent routine blood tests including assessment of plasma fibrinogen levels. RESULTS: Saphenous vein grafts were found to be patent in 199 patients and occluded in 132 patients. Plasma fibrinogen levels were significantly different between the two groups (2.85 ± 0.49 g/L vs. 3.62 ± 0.82 g/L, p < 0.001, respectively). Although the time duration after CABG operation differs significantly between the two groups (p = 0.004), multiple logistic regression analysis showed that plasma fibrinogen levels were found to be significantly associated with the patency of vein graft (odds ratio = 0.27, 95% confidence internal: 0.16-0.48, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that plasma fibrinogen levels were higher in patients with an occluded saphenous vein graft. To conclusively prove the relationship between plasma fibrinogen values and saphenous vein graft patency, additional investigation would be necessary. KEY WORDS: Atherosclerosis; Coronary artery bypass graft; Fibrinogen; Saphenous vein.

Serum total bilirubin level is associated with contrast induced nephropathy after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Contrast Induced Nephropathy (CIN) is a major complication of angiographic procedures. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) is the preferred treatment for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) but is associated with a risk of CIN. Oxidative stress and free radical damage play a role in the pathogenesis of CIN. Bilirubin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity and has been shown to have a protective effect on endothelial cells. The present study aimed to assess the association between serum bilirubin level and development of CIN after pPCI. Sequential STEMI patients (n = 595) who underwent pPCI between January 2021 and December 2022 were enrolled. Among the participants, 116 (19.5%) developed CIN. Serum total bilirubin level was significantly lower in the CIN group (P = .001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, serum bilirubin level was found as an independent predictor of CIN. Age, gender, contrast volume, and white blood cell count were other independent predictors of CIN. A higher serum bilirubin level is associated with a lower risk of CIN in the present study. In STEMI patients undergoing pPCI, serum bilirubin level may be helpful to predict the risk of CIN and may help ensure early initiation of preventive treatment and careful follow-up.

Lower LDL-cholesterol levels associated with increased inflammatory burden in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: Association of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and highly sensitive C-reactive protein in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients was assessed in this study. METHODS: 591 consecutive patients who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of ST-elevation myocardial infarction were enrolled and assigned into tertiles according to their serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Differences in highly sensitive C-reactive protein among low-density lipoprotein cholesterol tertiles and correlations between highly sensitive C-reactive protein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were assessed. RESULTS: Highly sensitive C-reactive protein levels differed significantly among the groups (p<0.001) and found to be highest in the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol tertile 1 and lowest in the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol tertile 3 (post-hoc p-values: tertile 1 vs. 2 <0.001; tertile 1 vs. 3 <0.001; tertile 2 vs. 3=0.019). There was a negative correlation between hs-CRP and both low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r=-0.332, p<0.001) and total cholesterol (r=-0.326, p<0.001). There was also a negative correlation between highly sensitive C-reactive protein and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, though the strength of this relationship was weak (r=-0.103, p=0.014). CONCLUSION: Lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels are associated with higher inflammatory burden in patients with acute STEMI. Further studies are required to elucidate the significance of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in ST-elevation myocardial infarction settings.

Relationship between elevated platelet volume and saphenous vein graft disease.

BACKGROUND: Saphenous vein graft (SVG) disease is the major determinant of long term graft viability in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Although, platelets play a major role in this pathogenetic process the nature of this interaction has not been yet been clarified. Mean platelet volume (MPV) reflects platelet production rate and stimulation. This study was designed to investigate MPV in patients with late stage SVG disease. METHODS: The study population composed of 188 patients who underwent elective coronary angiography more than one year after coronary artery bypass surgery. The study population was divided in to two groups according to SVG patency. The first group consisted of 90 patients (75 men, 15 women; mean age, 63.4 +/- 9.2 years) with patent SVG's (no-stenosis group). The second group consisted of 98 patients (80 men, 18 women; mean age, 62.1 +/- 10.1 years) with SVG stenosis based on the results of coronary angiography (stenosis group). Greater than 50% stenosis within the SVG was accepted as hemodynamically significant. RESULTS: MPV were significantly higher in patients with SVG disease in comparison with the patients without graft disease group (9.3 +/- 1.19 vs. 8.3 +/- 1.10 fl, respectively, p < 0.001). In a multiple regression model, SVG disease was independently associated with MPV (beta=0.837, p=0.05) along with LDL-cholesterol (beta=0.159, p=0.008) and time interval after bypass surgery (beta=-0.092, p=0.05). CONCLUSION: Platelet volume, and therefore platelet activation, appears to play a causal role in late SVG disease graft disease; hence, MPV may be useful as a post-operative marker of graft success.

Serum magnesium concentration may predict no-reflow phenomenon in primary angioplasty for ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

No-reflow phenomenon is a serious complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. Magnesium may play a role in pathogenesis of no-reflow phenomenon since it interacts with processes like platelet inhibition and endothelial-dependent vasodilatation. Relationship of serum magnesium concentration at admission and angiographic no-reflow phenomenon in ST elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention is investigated in the present study. A total of 2.248 consecutive patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention were analyzed. After reopening of the infarct related artery, a TIMI flow rate ≤ 2 was defined as no-reflow. No-reflow phenomenon developed in 386 (17.1 %) patients. Serum magnesium concentration was significantly lower in no-reflow group (1.87 ± 0.25 vs. 2.07 ± 0.33 mg/dL, p<0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that Mg at a cut-point of 1.92 has 71.4% sensitivity and 75.2% specificity in detecting no-reflow phenomenon. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, age, serum magnesium concentration, and stent length were found as independent predictors of no-reflow phenomenon. Serum magnesium concentration is associated with no-reflow phenomenon in ST elevation myocardial infarction patients who underwent primary PCI.

Value of CHA2DS2-VASc Score for Prediction and Ruling Out of Acute Stent Thrombosis After Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Acute stent thrombosis is an important complication of stent implantation. The CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, previous stroke, vascular disease, age between 65 and 74 years, female gender) score incorporates important cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and predicts prognosis in various CV conditions. We evaluated the value of the CHA2DS2-VASc score in predicting acute stent thrombosis (ie, thrombosis during 24 hours after stent placement) in patients undergoing primary percutaneous intervention for ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction. Patients with intraprocedural stent thrombosis and complications were excluded; 48 (2.1%) of 2732 patients had acute stent thrombosis according to our definition. Median CHA2DS2-VASc score was significantly higher in this stent thrombosis group. Cumulative acute stent thrombosis rates were 0.51% for CHA2DS2-VASc score ≤1, 1.55% for ≤2, 1.80% for ≤3, 2.00% for ≤4, 2.17% for ≤5, and 2.19% for ≤6. The CHA2DS2-VASc score (odds ratio = 1.390, 95% confidence interval = 1.118-1.728; P = .003) was an independent predictor of acute stent thrombosis. The CHA2DS2-VASc score ≤1 predicted the absence of the acute stent thrombosis with 91% specificity and 36% sensitivity. Further studies are needed to establish the value of this finding in the context of current clinical practice.

Relationship between elevated levels of serum uric acid and saphenous vein graft disease.

OBJECTIVES: Several studies have shown an association between elevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels and coronary heart disease and cardiovascular mortality. We investigated the relationship between SUA levels and the patency of saphenous vein grafts (SVG) after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. STUDY DESIGN: The study included 192 patients (152 men, 40 women) who underwent elective coronary angiography after a mean of 5.6 years following CABG surgery, which involved the use of at least one SVG. The patients were divided into two groups depending on the extent of SVG patency. Stenosis of 50% or greater within the SVG was accepted as hemodynamically significant. Serum uric acid levels were determined with the enzymatic colorimetric method. RESULTS: Ninety patients (71 men, 19 women; mean age 62+/-8 years) were found to have patent SVG. Stenotic SVGs were detected in 102 patients (81 men, 21 women; mean age 62+/-10 years). The time interval between surgery and angiography was significantly longer in the stenotic group (p<0.001). Compared to patients without SVG disease, the mean SUA level was significantly higher in patients with SVG disease (4.9+/-1.2 mg/dl vs 5.8+/-1.4 mg/dl; p=0.02). Serum uric acid levels were similar in patients having stenosis in a single vein graft or multiple vein grafts (p=0.224). In multiple regression analysis, SVG disease was independently associated with SUA (p<0.001), diabetes mellitus (p=0.028), and smoking (p=0.039). CONCLUSION: Our results show that there is a significant association between increased SUA levels and SVG disease in patients undergoing CABG, which may justify the need for early screening for hyperuricemia and antiuricemic treatment.

Usefulness of Mean Platelet Volume-to-Lymphocyte Ratio for Predicting Angiographic No-Reflow and Short-Term Prognosis After Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) is associated with improved prognosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, no-reflow phenomenon limits the benefit of revascularization and predicts adverse outcomes. The specific mechanism for its occurrence is still not entirely clear, and it is believed at present that platelet activation and inflammation play a pivotal role in developing no-reflow. Both increased mean platelet volume (MPV), which is a platelet activation marker, and lymphopenia, which is an inflammation marker, have been linked to adverse events and poor prognosis after STEMI. Recently, MPV-to-lymphocyte ratio (MPVLR) has emerged as a novel marker of poor short- and long-term prognosis in diabetic patients with STEMI who underwent pPCI. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether MPVLR predicts angiographic no-reflow and in-hospital mortality in all STEMI patients. From January 2014 to January 2017, a total of 1,206 patients who underwent pPCI, admitted within 12 hours from symptom onset, were enrolled and divided into 2 groups based on the final thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grading. No-reflow was defined as post-pPCI TIMI grade 0, 1, and 2 flows and normal-reflow was defined as TIMI 3 flow. The incidence of no-reflow was 16.1% (n = 198). The MPVLR values were higher in no-reflow group than in normal-reflow group (p <0.001). In multivariate analysis, MPVLR was an independent predictor of angiographic no-reflow. Furthermore, in multivariable Cox regression models adjusted for potential confounders, MPVLR was independently and positively associated with the hazard of 30-day all-cause mortality. In conclusion, the MPVLR was a strong independent predictor for angiographic no-reflow and short-term mortality in patients with STEMI who underwent pPCI.

Validation of the CHA2DS2-VASc Score in Predicting Coronary Atherosclerotic Burden and In-Hospital Mortality in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Although the CHA2DS2-VASc score has been initially recommended for the assessment of the risk of thromboembolic event in patients with atrial fibrillation, in recent years, it is used to predict adverse outcomes in various cardiovascular diseases. However, little is known about its predictive value for coronary atherosclerotic burden in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The aim of the present study is to investigate whether the CHA2DS2-VASc score could predict higher coronary atherosclerotic burden assessed by SYNTAX score (SS) in ACS. A total of 2,222 ACS patients (mean age 59.8 ± 12.7 years) who underwent coronary angiography were divided into 3 SS tertiles stratified by SS: low (≤22) (n = 1,445); intermediate (23 to 32) (n = 556); and high (≥33) (n = 221). The mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 2.71 ± 1.51 (range 1 to 9) and CHA2DS2-VASc score was higher in patients with high SS than in those with intermediate and low SS (4.24 ± 1.49, 2.89 ± 1.49, and 2.40 ± 1.36, respectively, p <0.001). In multivariate analysis, CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥4 (odds ratio [OR] 3.048, 95% confidence interval 1.658 to 5.617, p <0.001) was an independent predictor of high SS, as well as body mass index (OR 0.929, p = 0.015), chronic total occlusion (OR 11.363, p <0.001), current smoking (OR 0.476, p = 0.026), and chronic renal disease (OR 1.828, p = 0.033). The CHA2DS2-VASc score was also an independent predictor for in-hospital mortality in multivariate Cox regression analysis. In conclusion, CHA2DS2-VASc, as a simply calculated and reliable score, is independently associated with high SS and in-hospital mortality in patients with ACS. Thus, this score provides an additional level of risk stratification regarding coronary atherosclerotic burden and prognosis beyond that provided by traditional risk factors.

White blood cell count to mean platelet volume ratio: A novel and promising prognostic marker for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Increased white blood cell (WBC) count is associated with increased mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We aimed to evaluate predictive value of admission WBC to mean platelet volume (MPV) ratio (WMR) on prognosis in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) for STEMI. METHODS: A total of 2,603 consecutive patients with STEMI who underwent pPCI were recruited for the study. Follow-up data were obtained from digital records, patient files or by telephone interview with patients, family members, or primary care physicians. RESULTS: WMR has the highest area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and pairwise comparisons of the ROC curves revealed that WMR has the higher discriminative ability for long-term mortality than WBC, MPV, red blood cell distribution with (RDW), WBC-MPV combination, and platelet to lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (PLR-NLR) combination in patients undergoing pPCI for STEMI (a WMR value of 1,653.47 was also found as threshold value for mortality with 75.4% sensitivity and 87.3% specificity by ROC curve analysis). CONCLUSIONS: Higher WMR value on admission was associated with worse outcomes in patients with STEMI and independently better predicted the long-term mortality than other complete blood count components, such as MPV, RDW, PLR-NLR and WBC-MPV combinations.

Magnesium as a predictor of acute stent thrombosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who underwent primary angioplasty.

BACKGROUND: Although magnesium (Mg) has been proposed as a useful biomarker for predicting atherothrombosis, the association between Mg and acute stent thrombosis (ST) after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (p-PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has not yet been defined. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine whether admission Mg levels predicted the development of acute ST after p-PCI in STEMI patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 2633 patients with STEMI who underwent p-PCI were retrospectively analyzed. Acute ST was defined as thrombosis that occurred in the first (0-1) days following primary coronary stenting, and patients who had undergone p-PCI were divided into two groups: ST group and no-ST group. The cut-off value for Mg obtained by the receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was less than 1.91 mg/dl for the prediction of acute ST (area under the curve was 0.761; 95% confidence interval, 0.706-0.816; P<0.001; sensitivity, 70%; specificity, 69%). Serum Mg levels were significantly lower in the ST group compared with the no-ST group (median 1.80 mg/dl, interquartile range 1.70-2.00 mg/l vs. median 2.10 mg/dl, interquartile range 1.90-2.20 mg/dl, P<0.001). After multivariable adjustment for clinical, laboratory, and angiographic variables, Mg remained a strong independent predictor for acute ST (odds ratio 5.802, 95% confidence interval, 3.069-10.967; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Serum Mg level is associated independently with the risk of acute ST in patients with STEMI who undergo p-PCI.