Interpretable machine learning models for predicting in-hospital and 30 days adverse events in acute coronary syndrome patients in Kuwait.

The relationships between acute coronary syndromes (ACS) adverse events and the associated risk factors are typically complicated and nonlinear, which poses significant challenges to clinicians' attempts at risk stratification. Here, we aim to explore the implementation of modern risk stratification tools to untangle how these complex factors shape the risk of adverse events in patients with ACS. We used an interpretable multi-algorithm machine learning (ML) approach and clinical features to fit predictive models to 1,976 patients with ACS in Kuwait. We demonstrated that random forest (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (XGB) algorithms, remarkably outperform traditional logistic regression model (AUCs = 0.84 & 0.79 for RF and XGB, respectively). Our in-hospital adverse events model identified left ventricular ejection fraction as the most important predictor with the highest interaction strength with other factors. However, using the 30-days adverse events model, we found that performing an urgent coronary artery bypass graft was the most important predictor, with creatinine levels having the strongest overall interaction with other related factors. Our ML models not only untangled the non-linear relationships that shape the clinical epidemiology of ACS adverse events but also elucidated their risk in individual patients based on their unique features.

The Effect of Beta-Blocker Post-Myocardial Infarction With Ejection Fraction >40% Pooled Analysis From Seven Arabian Gulf Acute Coronary Syndrome Registries.

The use of beta-blockers (BB) in reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) post-myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with reduced 1-year mortality, while their role in patients with mid-range and preserved LVEF post-MI remains controversial. We studied 31,620 patients who presented with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) enrolled in seven Arabian Gulf registries between 2005 and 2017. Patients with LVEF ≤40% were excluded. The remaining cohort was divided into two groups: BB group (n = 15,541) and non-BB group (n = 2,798), based on discharge medications. Patients in the non-BB group were relatively younger (55.3 vs. 57.4, P = .004) but higher risk at presentation; with higher Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score (119.2 vs 109.2, P < .001), higher percentage of cardiogenic shock (3.5 vs 1.4%, P < .001), despite lower prevalence of comorbidities, such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia. BB use was associated with lower 1-year mortality in a multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusting for major confounders [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 0.71 (95% CI 0.51-0.99)]. This remained the case in a sensitivity analysis using propensity score matching [adjusted OR: 0.34 (95% CI 0.16-0.73)]. In this study, using Arabian Gulf countries registries, the use of BB after ACS with LVEF >40% was independently associated with lower 1-year mortality.

Association between Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Use and Major Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome in the Arabian Gulf.

Objectives: Studies on the association between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in the Arabian Gulf are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between NSAIDs use and MACE in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients in the Arabian Gulf region. Methods: Data were analyzed from 3007 consecutive patients diagnosed with ACS admitted to 29 hospitals in four Arabian Gulf countries from January 2012 to January 2013, as well as being on prior NSAIDs use during the index admission. The MACE included stroke/transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), myocardial infarction (MI), all-cause mortality and readmissions for cardiac reasons. Results: The overall mean age of the cohort was 62 ± 12 years, and 9.6% (n = 290) of the patients were on prior NSAID use during the index admission. At 12-months follow-up, after adjusting for confounding factors, patients on NSAIDs were significantly more likely to have had MACE (adjusted OR (aOR), 1.89; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.44-2.48; p < 0.001). Specifically, the higher event rates observed were stroke/TIA (aOR, 2.50; 95% CI: 1.51-4.14; p < 0.001) and readmissions for cardiac reasons (aOR, 2.09; 95% CI: 1.59-2.74; p < 0.001), but not MI (aOR, 1.26; 95% CI: 0.80-1.99; p = 0.320) and all-cause mortality (aOR, 0.79; 95% CI: 0.46-1.34; p = 0.383). Conclusions: NSAIDs use was associated with significant stroke/TIA events as well as readmissions for cardiac reasons. However, NSAIDs were not associated with increased MIs or all-cause mortality rates in patients with ACS in the Arabian Gulf.

Social Determinants of Health and Mortality After Premature and Non-premature Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Objective: To describe and compare the determinants of 1-year mortality after premature vs non-premature acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Patients and Methods: Participants presenting with ACS were enrolled in a prospective registry of 29 hospitals in 4 countries, from January 22, 2012 to January 22, 2013, with 1-year of follow-up data. The primary outcome was all-cause 1-year mortality after premature ACS (men aged <55 years and women aged <65 years) and non-premature ACS (men aged ≥55 years and women aged ≥65 years). The associations between the baseline patient characteristics and 1-year mortality were analyzed in models adjusting for the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score and reported as adjusted odds ratio (aOR) (95% CI). Results: Of the 3868 patients, 43.3% presented with premature ACS that was associated with lower 1-year mortality (5.7%) than those with non-premature ACS. In adjusted models, women experienced higher mortality than men after premature (aOR, 2.14 [1.37-3.41]) vs non-premature ACS (aOR, 1.28 [0.99-1.65]) (P interaction=.047). Patients lacking formal education vs any education had higher mortality after both premature (aOR, 2.92 [1.87-4.61]) and non-premature ACS (aOR, 1.78 [1.36-2.34]) (P interaction=.06). Lack of employment vs any employment was associated with approximately 3-fold higher mortality after premature and non-premature ACS (P interaction=.72). Using stepwise logistic regression to predict 1-year mortality, a model with GRACE risk score and 4 characteristics (education, employment, body mass index [kg/m2], and statin use within 24 hours after admission) had higher discrimination than the GRACE risk score alone (area under the curve, 0.800 vs 0.773; P comparison=.003). Conclusion: In this study, women, compared with men, had higher 1-year mortality after premature ACS. The social determinants of health (no formal education or employment) were strongly associated with higher 1-year mortality after premature and non-premature ACS, improved mortality prediction, and should be routinely considered in risk assessment after ACS.

Characteristics and predictors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in young adults hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome: A retrospective cohort study of 30,000 patients in the Gulf region.

INTRODUCTION: The characteristics of young adults with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) due to acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has not been well described. The mean age of gulf citizens in ACS registries is 10-15 years younger than their western counterparts, which provided us with a unique opportunity to investigate the characteristics and predictors of OHCA in young adults presenting with ACS. METHODOLOGY: This was a retrospective cohort study using data from 7 prospective ACS registries in the Gulf region. In brief, all registries included consecutive adults who were admitted with ACS. OHCA was defined as cardiac arrest upon presentation (i.e., before admission to the hospital). We described the characteristics of young adults (< 50 years) who had OHCA and performed multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess independent predictors of OHCA. RESULTS: A total of 31,620 ACS patients were included in the study. There were 611 (1.93%) OHCA cases in the whole cohort [188/10,848 (1.73%) in young adults vs 423/20,772 (2.04%) in older adults, p = 0.06]. Young adults were predominantly males presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) [182/188 (96.8%) and 172/188 (91.49%), respectively]. OHCA was the sentinel event of coronary artery disease (CAD) in 70% of young adults. STEMI, male sex, and non-smoking status were found to be independent predictors of OHCA [OR = 5.862 (95% CI 2.623-13.096), OR: 4.515 (95% CI 1.085-18.786), and OR = 2.27 (95% CI 1.335-3.86), respectively]. CONCLUSION: We observed a lower prevalence of OHCA in ACS patients in our region as compared to previous literature from other regions. Moreover, OHCA was the sentinel event of CAD in the majority of young adults, who were predominantly males with STEMIs. These findings should help risk-stratify patients with ACS and inform further research into the characteristics of OHCA in young adults.

The "obesity paradox" in patients with atrial fibrillation: Insights from the Gulf SAFE registry.

Background: The prognostic impact of obesity on patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) remains under-evaluated and controversial. Methods: Patients with AF from the Gulf Survey of Atrial Fibrillation Events (Gulf SAFE) registry were included, who were recruited from six countries in the Middle East Gulf region and followed for 12 months. A multivariable model was established to investigate the association of obesity with clinical outcomes, including stroke or systemic embolism (SE), bleeding, admission for heart failure (HF) or AF, all-cause mortality, and a composite outcome. Restricted cubic splines were depicted to illustrate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and outcomes. Sensitivity analysis was also conducted. Results: A total of 1,804 patients with AF and recorded BMI entered the final analysis (mean age 56.2 ± 16.1 years, 47.0% female); 559 (31.0%) were obese (BMI over 30 kg/m2). In multivariable analysis, obesity was associated with reduced risks of stroke/systematic embolism [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.18-0.89], bleeding [aOR 0.44, 95%CI, 0.26-0.74], HF admission (aOR 0.61, 95%CI, 0.41-0.90) and the composite outcome (aOR 0.65, 95%CI, 0.50-0.84). As a continuous variable, higher BMI was associated with lower risks for stroke/SE, bleeding, HF admission, all-cause mortality, and the composite outcome as demonstrated by the accumulated incidence of events and restricted cubic splines. This "protective effect" of obesity was more prominent in some subgroups of patients. Conclusion: Among patients with AF, obesity and higher BMI were associated with a more favorable prognosis in the Gulf SAFE registry. The underlying mechanisms for this obesity "paradox" merit further exploration.

Symptom Status, Clinical Subtypes, and Prognosis in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation from the Middle East Region (from the Gulf-SAFE Registry).

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is often asymptomatic. The prognosis of asymptomatic AF is at least similar or worse than symptomatic AF, but there are no such data from Middle East patients with AF. The Gulf-SAFE (Gulf Survey of Atrial Fibrillation Events) registry is a multicenter prospective survey of patients presenting with AF to participate medical institutions in 6 countries in the Gulf region. We investigated the prognostic outcomes of patients with asymptomatic AF in relation to clinical subtypes. A total of 2043 patients with AF were included; 541 were identified as having asymptomatic AF (26.5%) who tended to be older, with higher prevalences of hypertension, heart failure, coronary artery disease, diabetes, stroke, renal dysfunction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and had higher Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age ≥75, Stroke (2 points), Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age ≥75 (2 points), Diabetes, Stroke (2 points), Vascular disease, Age 65-74, Sex category (CHA2DS2-VASc), and Hypertension, Age ≥65, Stroke, Bleeding history, liable INR, Elderly, Drug or alcohol use (HAS-BLED) scores (all p <0.05). After multivariable adjustment, asymptomatic AF was associated with higher risks of stroke/systematic embolism (SE) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10 to 4.34), all-cause mortality (aOR 2.85, 95% CI 1.90 to 4.28), and the composite outcome of stroke/SE, bleeding, and all-cause mortality (aOR 1.74, 95% CI 1.26 to 2.41). Patients with asymptomatic AF had fewer admissions for AF (aOR 0.53, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.83) and heart failure (aOR 0.58, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.86). The increased risk of stroke/SE in asymptomatic AF was more prominent among paroxysmal AF subtype (p for interaction = 0.028). In conclusion, in the Gulf-SAFE registry, patients with asymptomatic AF represent a nonbenign entity with worse outcomes compared with symptomatic AF. In paroxysmal AF, the higher risks of events were more prominent. The absence of "warning signs" and lack of timely admission in asymptomatic AF may be major reasons for the unfavorable prognosis.

Anemia or other comorbidities? using machine learning to reveal deeper insights into the drivers of acute coronary syndromes in hospital admitted patients.

Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are a leading cause of deaths worldwide, yet the diagnosis and treatment of this group of diseases represent a significant challenge for clinicians. The epidemiology of ACS is extremely complex and the relationship between ACS and patient risk factors is typically non-linear and highly variable across patient lifespan. Here, we aim to uncover deeper insights into the factors that shape ACS outcomes in hospitals across four Arabian Gulf countries. Further, because anemia is one of the most observed comorbidities, we explored its role in the prognosis of most prevalent ACS in-hospital outcomes (mortality, heart failure, and bleeding) in the region. We used a robust multi-algorithm interpretable machine learning (ML) pipeline, and 20 relevant risk factors to fit predictive models to 4,044 patients presenting with ACS between 2012 and 2013. We found that in-hospital heart failure followed by anemia was the most important predictor of mortality. However, anemia was the first most important predictor for both in-hospital heart failure, and bleeding. For all in-hospital outcome, anemia had remarkably non-linear relationships with both ACS outcomes and patients' baseline characteristics. With minimal statistical assumptions, our ML models had reasonable predictive performance (AUCs > 0.75) and substantially outperformed commonly used statistical and risk stratification methods. Moreover, our pipeline was able to elucidate ACS risk of individual patients based on their unique risk factors. Fully interpretable ML approaches are rarely used in clinical settings, particularly in the Middle East, but have the potential to improve clinicians' prognostic efforts and guide policymakers in reducing the health and economic burdens of ACS worldwide.

Consensus clinical recommendations for the management of plasma lipid disorders in the Middle East: 2021 update.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Disorders of plasma lipids remain key risk factors for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in the Middle East and are estimated to increase more dramatically in the next decade than in any other global region except Africa. This statement is an update to the 2016 consensus clinical recommendations for the management of plasma lipid disorders in the Middle East, following the evaluation of newer cholesterol-lowering agents in randomised controlled cardiovascular outcome trials, as well as the publication of revised international guidelines. METHODS: A multidisciplinary panel of regional experts was convened to update the consensus clinical recommendations for the management of plasma lipids in the Middle East. The recommendations constructed in 2016 were reviewed against emerging research since publication. RESULTS: Newly developed Middle East ASCVD risk categories were established using the multiple risk group categories from the recently updated international guidelines and the epidemiological evidence from the Gulf Region. These consensus recommendations support a more intensive reduction of LDL-C across cardiovascular risk categories. Alongside low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, we recommend non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol as a primary treatment target. Lifestyle modifications remain the first-line treatment recommendation for all patients. The first-line pharmacological treatment in patients with dyslipidaemia is statin therapy, with a number of second-line agents available. The selection of a second lipid-lowering agent for combination therapy with statin should be based on the lipid-lowering target of the patient. Guidance is also provided on the management of underlying conditions and special populations; of particular pertinence in the region are familial hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes and metabolic dyslipidaemia. New therapies have emerged from research that found positive outcomes in reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The initial results of these newly researched drugs strongly indicate their inclusion as future therapies in dyslipidaemia management in the Middle East. CONCLUSIONS: These updated consensus clinical recommendations provide practicing clinicians with comprehensive, region-specific guidance to improve the detection and management of plasma lipid disorders in patients in the Middle East.

Association of obesity indices with in-hospital and 1-year mortality following acute coronary syndrome.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: According to the "obesity paradox", adults with obesity have a survival advantage following acute coronary syndrome, compared with those without obesity. Previous studies focused on peripheral obesity and whether this advantage is conferred by central obesity is unknown. The objective of this study was to describe the association of peripheral and central obesity indices with risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality following acute coronary syndrome (ACS). SUBJECTS/METHODS: Gulf COAST is a prospective ACS registry that enrolled 4044 patients age ≥18 years from January 2012 through January 2013, across 29 hospitals in four Middle Eastern countries. Associations of indices of peripheral obesity (body-mass index, [BMI]) and central obesity (waist circumference [WC] and waist-to-height ratio [WHtR]) with mortality following ACS were analyzed in logistic regression models (odds ratio, 95% CI) with and without adjustment for Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score. RESULTS: Of 3882 patients analyzed (mean age: 60 years; 33.3% women [n = 1294]), the prevalence of obesity was 34.5% (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2), 72.2% (WC ≥ 94.0 cm [men] or ≥80.0 cm [women]) and 90.0% (WHtR ≥ 0.5). In adjusted models, deciles of obesity indices showed higher risk of mortality at extreme versus intermediate deciles (U-shaped). When defined by conventional cut-offs, peripheral obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0 versus 18.5-29.9 kg/m2) showed inverse association with risk of in-hospital mortality (0.64; 95% CI, 0.42-0.99; P = 0.04; central obesity showed trend toward reduced mortality). In contrast, for risk of 1-year mortality, all indices showed inverse association. Obesity, defined by presence of all three indices, versus nonobesity showed inverse association with risk of 1-year mortality (0.52; 95% CI, 0.35-0.75; P = 0.001). Results were similar among men and women. CONCLUSION: The degree of obesity paradox following ACS depends on the obesity index and follow-up time. Obesity indices may aid in risk stratification of mortality following ACS.

Compliance of atrial fibrillation treatment with the ABC pathway in patients with concomitant diabetes mellitus in the Middle East based on the Gulf SAFE registry.

INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and diabetes mellitus (DM) constitute a heavy burden on healthcare expenditure due to their negative impact on clinical outcomes in the Middle East. The Atrial fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway provides a simple strategy of integrated approach of AF management: A-Avoid stroke; B-Better symptom control; C-Cardiovascular comorbidity risk management. AIMS: Evaluation of the AF treatment compliance to ABC pathway in DM patients in the Middle East. Assessment of the impact of ABC pathway adherence on all-cause mortality and the composite outcome of stroke/systemic embolism, all-cause death and cardiovascular hospitalisations. METHODS: From 2043 patients in the Gulf SAFE registry, 603 patients (mean age 63; 48% male) with DM were included in an analysis of ABC pathway compliance: A-appropriate use of anticoagulation according to CHA2 DS2 -VASc score; B-AF symptoms management according to the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) scale; C-Optimised cardiovascular comorbidities management. RESULTS: 86 (14.3%) patients were treated in compliance with the ABC pathway. During 1-year follow-up, 207 composite outcome events and 87 deaths occurred. Mortality was significantly lower in the ABC group vs non-ABC (5.8% vs 15.9%, P = .0014, respectively). On multivariate analysis, ABC compliance was associated with a lower risk of all-cause death and the composite outcome after 6 months (OR 0.18; 95% CI: 0.42-0.75 and OR 0.54; 95% Cl: 0.30-1.00, respectively) and at 1 year (OR 0.30; 95% Cl: 0.11-0.76 and OR 0.57; 95% Cl: 0.33-0.97, respectively) vs the non-ABC group. CONCLUSIONS: Compliance with the ABC pathway care was independently associated with the reduced risk of all-cause death and the composite outcome in DM patients with AF, highlighting the importance of an integrated approach to AF management.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of young adults with first myocardial infarction: Results from Gulf COAST.

INTRODUCTION: Limited data exists on the risk factor profile and outcomes of young patients suffering their first acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: We examined 1562 Gulf-Arabs without prior cardiovascular disease presenting with first AMI enrolled in the Gulf COAST prospective cohort. Clinical characteristics were compared in patients ≤50 years of age (young) vs. >50 years (older). Associations between age group and in-hospital adverse events (re-infarction, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, stroke, and in-hospital death) or post-discharge mortality were estimated using logistic regression. RESULTS: Young patients represented 26.1% (n = 407) of first AMI cases and were more likely to be men (82.8% vs. 66.5%), current smokers (49.9% vs 19.0%), obese (38.3% vs 28.0%), and have family history of premature coronary artery disease (21.4% vs 10.4%) compared with older patients (all P < 0.001). Young patients were more likely to receive ß-blockers (83.0% vs 74.4%; P < 0.001), clopidogrel (82.3% vs 76.0%; P = 0.009) and primary reperfusion therapy (85.6% vs. 75.6%; P = 0.003). Young adults had lower in-hospital death (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.37; 95%CI = 0.16-0.86) or any in-hospital adverse cardiovascular events (aOR = 0.53; 95%CI = 0.34-0.83). Young adults had lower likelihood of cumulative death at 12-month post-discharge (aOR = 0.34; 95%CI = 0.19-0.59) after adjusting for potential confounders. CONCLUSION: Young patients with first AMI were more likely to be obese, smokers and have family history of premature coronary artery disease compared to older adults. Young patients were more likely to receive guideline-proven therapies and have better in-hospital and post-discharge mortality. These data highlight important age-related care gaps in patients suffering AMI for the first time.

Compliance of Atrial Fibrillation Treatment with the Atrial Fibrillation Better Care (ABC) Pathway Improves the Clinical Outcomes in the Middle East Population: A Report from the Gulf Survey of Atrial Fibrillation Events (SAFE) Registry.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with substantially increased risk of cardiovascular events and overall mortality. The Atrial fibrillation Better Care (A-Avoid stroke, B-Better symptom management, C-Cardiovascular and comorbidity risk management) pathway provides a simple and comprehensive approach for integrated AF therapy. This study's goals were to evaluate the ABC pathway compliance and determine the main gaps in AF management in the Middle East population, and to assess the impact of ABC pathway adherence on the all-cause mortality and composite outcome in AF patients. 2021 patients (mean age 57; 52% male) from the Gulf SAFE registry were studied. We evaluated: A-appropriate implementation of OACs according to CHA2DS2-VASc score; B-symptom control according to European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) symptom scale; C-proper cardiovascular comorbidities management. The primary endpoints were the composite cardiovascular outcome (ischemic stroke or systemic embolism, all-cause death and cardiovascular hospitalization) and all-cause mortality. One-hundred and sixty-eight (8.3%) patients were optimally managed according to adherence with the ABC pathway. Over the one-year follow up (FU), there were 578 composite outcome events and 224 deaths. Patients managed with integrated care had significantly lower rates for the composite outcome and mortality comparing to non-ABC group (20.8% vs. 29.3%, p = 0.02 and 7.3% vs. 13.1%, p = 0.033, respectively). On multivariable analysis, ABC compliance was independently associated with reduced risk of composite outcome (HR 0.53; 95% CI 0.36-0.8, p = 0.002) and death (HR 0.46; 95% CI 0.25-0.86, p = 0.015). Integrated ABC pathway adherent care resulted in the reduced composite outcome and all-cause mortality in AF patients from Middle East, highlighting the necessity of promoting comprehensive holistic and integrated care management of AF.

Age-Related Sex Differences in Clinical Presentation, Management, and Outcomes in ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Pooled Analysis of 15 532 Patients From 7 Arabian Gulf Registries.

Background No studies from the Arabian Gulf region have taken age into account when examining sex differences in ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) presentation and outcomes. We examined the relationship between sex differences and presenting characteristics, revascularization procedures, and in-hospital mortality after accounting for age in patients hospitalized with STEMI in the Arabian Gulf region from 2005 to 2017. Methods and Results This study was a pooled analysis of 31 620 patients with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome enrolled in 7 Arabian Gulf registries. Of these, 15 532 patients aged ≥18 years were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of STEMI. A multiple variable regression model was used to assess sex differences in revascularization, in-hospital mortality, and 1-year mortality. Odds ratios and 95% CIs were calculated. Women were, on average, 8.5 years older than men (mean age: 61.7 versus 53.2 years; absolute standard mean difference: 68.9%). The age-stratified analysis showed that younger women (aged <65 years) with STEMI were more likely to seek acute medical care and were less likely to receive thrombolytic therapies or primary percutaneous coronary intervention and guideline-recommended pharmacotherapy than men. Women had higher crude in-hospital mortality than men, driven mainly by younger age (46-55 years, odds ratio: 2.60 [95% CI, 1.80-3.7]; P<0.001; 56-65 years, odds ratio: 2.32 [95% CI, 1.75-3.08]; P<0.001; and 66-75 years, odds ratio: 1.79 [95% CI, 1.33-2.41]; P<0.001). Younger women had higher adjusted in-hospital and 1-year mortality rates than younger men (P<0.001). Conclusions Younger women (aged ≤65 years) with STEMI were less likely to receive guideline-recommended pharmacotherapy and revascularization than younger men during hospitalization and had higher in-hospital and 1-year mortality rates.

Efficacy and Safety of Pharmacoinvasive Strategy Compared to Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in the Management of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Prospective Country-Wide Registry.

Background: A pharmacoinvasive reperfusion strategy is recommended for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients when primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) cannot be achieved in a timely fashion. This is based on a limited number of trials. The effectiveness of this strategy in the real-world is unclear. Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of pharmacoinvasive strategy versus primary PCI using a nationwide prospective registry of STEMI patients. Methods: We examined 936 STEMI patients from the reperfusion in ST-elevation myocardial infarction in Kuwait (REPERFUSE Kuwait) registry who underwent either primary PCI or pharmacoinvasive reperfusion. A composite outcome was measured based on death, congestive heart failure, reinfarction or stroke prospectively ascertained during hospital stay and up to one-year follow-up. The association between reperfusion strategy and the composite outcome was assessed using multivariate regression and Poisson proportional hazard model. Results: Compared to the pharmacoinvasive group, those undergoing primary PCI had higher Killip class on presentation and required more blood transfusions during hospitalization. There was no significant difference between primary PCI and pharmacoinvasive strategy with regards to the incidence of the composite outcome during the in-hospital period (RR = 1.0; 95% CI 0.98-1.02; p = 0.96) after adjustment for possible confounders. Over one-year follow-up, the survival of the two groups was not different (p = 0.66). The incidence of major bleeding was similar in both groups. Conclusion: STEMI patients treated with a pharmacoinvasive strategy have comparable outcomes to those treated with primary PCI with no increased risk of major bleeding. These real-world data support the use of a pharmacoinvasive strategy when primary PCI cannot be achieved in a timely fashion.

Beta-blockers and Short-Term Cardiovascular Outcomes In Patients Hospitalized For Acute Coronary Syndrome and a Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction ≥40.

Beta-blockers (BB) have been traditionally associated with improvement in cardiovascular disease outcomes in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. Whether they're still efficacious in the post-reperfusion era is currently debated in the light of recent controversial reports. In-hospital, 6-month and 12-month mortality were studied in the GULF-COAST, a prospective multicenter cohort of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), in relation to BB use: prior to admission, 24-hour post-admission and on discharge in patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 40%. On admission, 50.9% of the cohort participants had a LVEF ≥ 40%, of whom 1203 (55.4%) were on BB whilst 905 (44.6%) were not. Mean age was 60 (13) years old and 66% were males. Prior BB use or its administration in 24 hours decreased in-hospital mortality (OR = 0.25, 95% CI [0.09-0.67]; OR = 0.16, 95% CI [0.08-0.35]; respectively). BB on discharge lowered 1-month mortality (OR = 0.28, 95% CI [0.11-0.72]), but had a neutral effect on mortality, reinfarction and stroke at 6 and 12 months. Results were unchanged after multivariable adjustments and further sensitivity analysis. In this retrospective cohort of ACS, BB improved in-hospital and 1-month mortality in patients with a LVEF ≥ 40% but had a neutral effect on longer-term outcome.

Implementation of Guideline-Recommended Therapies for Patients With Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction: A Regional Arab Middle East Experience.

We describe the characteristics of ambulatory patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in the Gulf region (Middle East) and the implementation of guideline-recommended treatments. We included 2427 HFrEF outpatients (mean age 59 ± 13 years, 75% males and median left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] of 30%). A high proportion of patients received guideline-recommended medications (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor [ACEI]/angiotensin receptor blocker [ARB]/angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor [ARNI] 87%, ß-blocker 91%, mineralocorticoid antagonist [MRA] 64%). However, only a minority of patients received guideline-recommended target doses (ACEI/ARB/ARNI 13%, ß-blocker 27%, and MRA 4.4%). Old age was a significant independent predictor for not prescribing treatment (P < .001 for ACEI/ARB/ARNI and MRA; and P = .002 for ß-blockers). Other independent predictors were chronic kidney disease (for both ACEI/ARB/ARNI and MRA, P < .001) and higher LVEF (P = .014 for ß-blockers and P < .001 for MRA). Patients with HFrEF managed by heart failure specialists more often received recommended target doses of ACEI/ARB/ARNI (40% vs 11%, P < .001) and ß-blockers (56% vs 26%, P < .001) compared to those treated by general cardiologists. Although the majority of our patients with HFrEF received guideline-recommended medications, the doses they were prescribed were suboptimal. Understanding the reasons behind this is important for improved practice.

One-year all-cause mortality risk among atrial fibrillation patients in Middle East with and without diabetes: The Gulf SAFE registry.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) poses a great risk of mortality, especially when associated with diabetes mellitus (DM). OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the rate and risk factors for mortality among AF patients with and without DM in the population from the Middle East where it has never been investigated before. METHODS: We analyzed the Gulf-SAFE registry, involving patients with nonvalvular AF from the Middle East, for one-year all-cause mortality. The predictive capability of the CHA2DS2-VASc score for death was also investigated. RESULTS: Among a total of 2043 AF patients 606 had DM. Patients with DM were older and had significantly higher prevalence of multiple comorbidities (p < 0.05, respectively). Among patients with DM, age ≥ 75 (relative risk 2.34, 95% confidence interval 1.19-4.61), heart failure (HF) (RR 2.14, 95%CI 1.03-4.43), peripheral vascular disease (PVD) (RR 3.36, 95%CI 1.22-9.30) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) (RR 2.60, 95%CI 1.16-5.81) were independent risk factors for one year all-cause mortality. Patients with DM had significantly higher rates of heart failure and AF-related hospital admissions, all-cause mortality and composite outcome rates, in one year follow up. Among patients with DM, the CHA2DS2-VASc score was predictive of one-year all-cause mortality with c-index of 0.741 (95%CI 0.688-0.794). CONCLUSIONS: AF patients in Middle East with DM have a higher risk for all-cause mortality, HF and AF admission and composite outcome, compared to patients without DM. Multiple risk factors contribute to the higher mortality rate among patients with DM.

Impact of Dual versus Single Antiplatelet Therapy on Major Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome in the Arabian Gulf.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of dual versus single antiplatelet therapy with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the Arabian Gulf. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Data were analyzed from 3,559 patients with a diagnosis of ACS admitted to 29 hospitals in 4 Arabian Gulf countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and United Arab Emirates) from January 2012 to January 2013. Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), consisting of aspirin and clopidogrel, was compared to aspirin alone. MACE included 12-months cumulative stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), myocardial infarction (MI), all-cause mortality, and readmissions for cardiac reasons, post discharge. Analyses were performed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 74% (n = 2,634) of the patients were on DAPT. At 12-month follow-up, patients on DAPT were significantly less likely to experience MACE events (adjusted OR [aOR] 0.73; 95% CI: 0.61-0.86; p < 0.001). Lower cardiovascular (CV) event rates were also consistent across the following MACE components; MI (aOR 0.66; 95% CI: 0.49-0.88; p = 0.005), all-cause mortality (aOR 0.69; 95% CI: 0.51-0.94; p = 0.018), and readmissions for cardiac reasons (aOR 0.79; 95% CI: 0.66-0.95; p = 0.011). Conversely, DAPT was adversely associated with increased risk of stroke/TIA (aOR 1.68; 95% CI: 1.05-2.69; p = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS: DAPT, compared to aspirin therapy alone, was generally associated with better CV outcomes after an ACS event. However, DAPT was adversely associated with increased risk of stroke/TIA in ACS patients in the Arabian Gulf.