Diagnostic value of the cardiac electrical biomarker, a novel ECG marker indicating myocardial injury, in patients with symptoms suggestive of non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: The cardiac electrical biomarker (CEB) is a novel electrocardiographic (ECG) marker quantifying the dipolar activity of the heart with higher levels indicating myocardial injury. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 1097 patients presenting with suspected non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) to the emergency department (ED). Digital 12-lead ECGs were recorded at presentation and the CEB values were calculated in a blinded fashion. The final diagnosis was adjudicated by two independent cardiologists. The prognostic endpoint was all-cause mortality during 2 years of follow-up. RESULTS: NSTEMI was the final diagnosis in 14% of patients. CEB levels were higher in patients with NSTEMI compared to other causes of chest pain (median 44 (IQR 21-98) vs. 30 (IQR 16-61), p < .001). A weak but significant correlation between levels of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) at admission to the ED and the CEB was found (r = .23, p < .001). The use of the CEB in addition to conventional ECG criteria improved the diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of NSTEMI as quantified by the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve from 0.66 to 0.71 (p < .001) and the sensitivity improved from 43% to 79% (p < .001). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the CEB, an ECG marker of myocardial injury, significantly improves the accuracy and sensitivity of the ECG for the diagnosis of NSTEMI.

Impact of haemoconcentration during acute heart failure therapy on mortality and its relationship with worsening renal function.

AIMS: Treatment goals in acute heart failure (AHF) are poorly defined. We aimed to characterize further the impact of in-hospital haemoconcentration and worsening renal function (WRF) on short- and long-term mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: Haematocrit, haemoglobin, total protein, serum creatinine, and albumin levels were measured serially in 1019 prospectively enrolled AHF patients. Haemoconcentration was defined as an increase in at least three of four of the haemoconcentration-defining parameters above admission values at any time during the hospitalization. Patients were divided into early (Day 1-4) and late haemoconcentration (>Day 4). Ninety-day mortality was the primary endpoint. Haemoconcentration occurred in 392 (38.5%) patients, with a similar incidence of the early (44.6%) and late (55.4%) phenotype. Signs of decongestion (reduction in BNP blood concentrations, P = 0.003; weight loss, P = 0.002) were significantly more pronounced in haemoconcentration patients. WRF was more common in haemoconcentration patients (P = 0.04). After adjustment for established risk factors for AHF mortality, including WRF and HF therapy at discharge, haemoconcentration was significantly associated with a reduction in 90-day mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 0.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37-0.95, P = 0.01]. The beneficial effect of haemoconcentration seemed to be exclusive for late haemoconcentration (late vs. early: adjusted HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.19-0.90, P = 0.03) and persisted in patients with or without WRF. CONCLUSIONS: Haemoconcentration represents an inexpensive and easily assessable pathophysiological signal of adequate decongestion in AHF and is associated with lower mortality. WRF in the setting of haemoconcentration does not appear to offset the benefits of haemoconcentration.

Effect of Definition on Incidence and Prognosis of Type 2 Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Uncertainties regarding the most appropriate definition and treatment of type 2 myocardial infarction (T2MI) due to supply-demand mismatch have contributed to inconsistent adoption in clinical practice. OBJECTIVES: This study sought a better understanding of the effect of the definition of T2MI on its incidence, treatment, and event-related mortality, thereby addressing an important unmet clinical need. METHODS: The final diagnosis was adjudicated in patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of myocardial infarction by 2 independent cardiologists by 2 methods: 1 method required the presence of coronary artery disease, a common interpretation of the 2007 universal definition (T2MI2007); and 1 method did not require coronary artery disease, the 2012 universal definition (T2MI2012). RESULTS: Overall, 4,015 consecutive patients were adjudicated. The incidence of T2MI based on the T2MI2007 definition was 2.8% (n = 112). The application of the more liberal T2MI2012 definition resulted in an increase of T2MI incidence of 6% (n = 240), a relative increase of 114% (128 reclassified patients, defined as T2MI2012reclassified). Among T2MI2007, 6.3% of patients received coronary revascularization, 22% dual-antiplatelet therapy, and 71% high-dose statin therapy versus 0.8%, 1.6%, and 31% among T2MI2012reclassified patients, respectively (all p < 0.01). Cardiovascular mortality at 90 days was 0% among T2MI2012reclassified, which was similar to patients with noncardiac causes of chest discomfort (0.2%), and lower than T2MI2007 (3.6%) and type 1 myocardial infarction (T1MI) (4.8%) (T2MI2012reclassified vs. T2MI2007 and T1MI: p = 0.03 and 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: T2MI2012reclassified has a substantially lower event-related mortality rate compared with T2MI2007 and T1MI. (Advantageous Predictors of Acute Coronary Syndromes Evaluation [APACE] Study; NCT00470587).