The impact of smoking on long-term outcome of patients with premature (≤35years) ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: There are few data regarding the long-term prognosis of young survivors of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We explored the long-term outcome in individuals who had sustained a premature ST-segment elevation AMI. METHODS: We recruited 257 consecutive patients who had survived their first AMI ≤35years of age. Patients were followed up for up to 18years. Clinical end points included all major adverse coronary events (MACE): cardiac death, readmission for acute coronary syndrome, arrhythmias, or coronary revascularization due to clinical deterioration. RESULTS: The most prevalent risk factor at presentation was smoking (93.7%). Follow-up data were obtained from 237 patients (32.2±3.7years old). The median follow-up period was 9.1years. During follow-up, 139 (58.6%) patients reported continuation of smoking. Ninety-one (38.4%) patients had recurrent MACE (13 deaths, 59 acute coronary syndromes, 2 arrhythmias, and 17 revascularizations). Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that persistence of smoking, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and reperfusion therapy (fibrinolysis or primary coronary angioplasty) were independent predictors of MACE after adjustment for conventional risk factors. Continuation of smoking remained an independent predictor for MACE after additional adjustments for LVEF (hazard ratio 2.154, 95% CI 1.313-3.535, P=.002) or reperfusion treatment (hazard ratio 2.327, 95% CI 1.423-3.804, P=.001). Harrell c statistic showed that the model with persistent smoking had the best discriminatory power compared with models with LVEF or reperfusion treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In the era of statins and reperfusion treatment, continuation of smoking is the strongest independent long-term predictor for recurrent MACE in young survivors of premature AMI.

Prevalence of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia and its impact on long-term prognosis in patients with very early ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in the era of statins.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is an important cause of early onset coronary artery disease. We assessed the prevalence of clinical heterozygous FH (HeFH) among patients with very early ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), its management and its impact on long-term prognosis in the era of widespread utilization of statins. METHODS: We recruited prospectively 320 consecutive patients who had survived their first STEMI ≤35 years of age. Using the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network algorithm patients having HeFH (possible, probable or definite) were identified. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients (20.3%) had definite/probable HeFH and 163 patients (50.9%) had possible FH. Two years after discharge among 51 patients with definite/probable HeFH and available lipid levels, 43 (84.3%) were taking statins of whom 10 (23.3%) were on high-intensity statin therapy but only 1 (2.3%) of the statin-treated patients had LDL cholesterol levels <1.8 mmol/L (70 mg/dL). After a median follow-up of 9.1 years, major adverse coronary events (MACE) occurred in 99 (38.8%) of 255 patients with available follow-up information. Definite/probable HeFH was associated with an excess risk for recurrence of MACE independently of statin use, continuation of smoking after the STEMI, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and sex (hazard ratio = 1.615, 95% confidence interval, 1.038 to 2.512, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: One out of five patients who develop STEMI ≤35 years of age has definite/probable HeFH and despite the use of statins there is a therapeutic gap and a high recurrence rate of cardiac events during long-term follow-up.

Circadian pattern of symptoms onset in patients ≤35 years presenting with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: There are scarce data regarding the circadian pattern of symptoms onset in young patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We explored whether young patients with ST-segment elevation AMI exhibit a circadian variation in symptoms onset. METHODS: We recruited prospectively 256 consecutive patients who had survived their first ST-segment elevation AMI ≤35 years of age. Patients were categorized into 4 groups by 6-h intervals over 24 h. RESULTS: In 49 patients (19.1%) the clinical presentation of AMI was atypical. The symptoms onset was as follows: 00:01 to 06:00, 19.1%, 06:01 to 12:00, 32.4%; 12:01 to 18:00, 28.1%; and 18:01 to 24:00, 20.3%. There was a significant association between the time of day and the likelihood of symptoms onset (Rayleigh test, p<0.001). Between 00:01 and 06:00 the incidence of AMI onset was lower than expected and between 06:01 and 12:00 was higher (p=0.034 and p=0.011, respectively), whereas in the other 6-h period groups no difference was found between expected and observed AMI incidence (p=0.280 and p=0.131). No significant differences were found regarding clinical characteristics, i.e. traditional risk factors, reperfusion treatment of AMI, ejection fraction of left ventricle, time interval from pain onset to hospital arrival, dietary habits and physical activity, among the 6-h period groups. CONCLUSIONS: ST-segment elevation AMI in individuals ≤35 years of age follows a circadian pattern with a morning peak. This information might be useful for the prompt diagnosis and treatment of AMI in very young patients which occurs rarely and frequently with atypical clinical presentation.