Effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta blockers on clinical outcomes in patients with and without coronary artery obstructions at angiography (from a Register-Based Cohort Study on Acute Coronary Syndromes).

We sought to determine the effectiveness of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition and ß-blocker treatment as a function of the degree of coronary artery disease (CAD) obstruction at angiography. The Evaluation of Methods and Management of Acute Coronary Events registry enrolled patients who had been hospitalized for an acute coronary syndrome. There were 1,602 patients who had cardiac catheterization that were used for this analysis. The main outcome measures were evidence-based therapies prescribed at discharge and 6-month incidence of all-cause mortality. The cohort consisted of 1,252 patients with obstructive CAD (>50% luminal diameter obstructed) and 350 patients with nonobstructive CAD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for further medications and other clinical factors was performed. Patients with nonobstructive CAD had significantly (p <0.001) higher rates of ß-blocker (77.8% vs 63.3%) and lower rates of ACE-inhibitor (57.7% vs 66.4%) prescriptions. In patients with nonobstructive CAD, ACE-inhibitor therapy was clearly associated with a lower 6-month mortality (odds ratio [OR] 0.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.03 to 0.78, p = 0.004). No significant association between ß-blocker use and death was found. In patients with obstructive CAD, both ß blockers (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.67, p <0.001) and ACE inhibitors (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.87, p = 0.01) were significantly associated with a reduced risk of 6-month mortality. In conclusion, ACE-inhibitor therapy seems to be an effective first-line treatment for preventing the occurrence of mortality in patients with nonobstructive CAD.

Newborn blood spot screening for sickle cell disease by using tandem mass spectrometry: implementation of a protocol to identify only the disease states of sickle cell disease.

BACKGROUND: The currently recommended technologies of HPLC and isoelectric focusing for newborn blood spot screening for sickle cell disease (SCD) identify both the disease and carrier states, resulting in large numbers of infants being followed up unnecessarily. Analysis of blood spot tryptic peptides performed by using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is an alternative technology to detect hemoglobin (Hb) variant disorders. METHODS: We analyzed 2154 residual newborn blood spots and 675 newborn blood spots from infants with Hb variants by using MS/MS after trypsin digestion. Screening cutoffs were developed by using the ratio between the variant peptide-to-wild-type peptide abundance for HbS, C, D(Punjab), O(Arab), Lepore, and E peptides. A postanalytical data analysis protocol was developed using these cutoffs to detect only the disease states of SCD and not to identify carrier states. A parallel study of 13 249 newborn blood spots from a high-prevalence SCD area were analyzed by both MS/MS and HPLC. RESULTS: Screening cutoffs developed distinguished the infants with the disease states of SCD, infants who were carriers of SCD, and infants with normal Hb. In the parallel study no false-negative results were identified, and all clinically relevant cases were correctly identified using the MS/MS protocol. Unblinding the data revealed a total of 328 carrier infants that were successfully excluded by the protocol. CONCLUSIONS: The screening protocol developed correctly identified infants with the disease states of SCD. Furthermore, large numbers of sickle cell carrier infants were successfully not identified, thereby avoiding unnecessary follow-up testing and referral for genetic counseling.

Association of frontal QRS-T angle--age risk score on admission electrocardiogram with mortality in patients admitted with an acute coronary syndrome.

Risk assessment is central to the management of acute coronary syndromes. Often, however, assessment is not complete until the troponin concentration is available. Using 2 multicenter prospective observational studies (Evaluation of Methods and Management of Acute Coronary Events [EMMACE] 2, test cohort, 1,843 patients; and EMMACE-1, validation cohort, 550 patients) of unselected patients with acute coronary syndromes, a point-of-admission risk stratification tool using frontal QRS-T angle derived from automated measurements and age for the prediction of 30-day and 2-year mortality was evaluated. Two-year mortality was lowest in patients with frontal QRS-T angles <38° and highest in patients with frontal QRS-T angles >104° (44.7% vs 14.8%, p <0.001). Increasing frontal QRS-T angle-age risk (FAAR) scores were associated with increasing 30-day and 2-year mortality (for 2-year mortality, score 0 = 3.7%, score 4 = 57%; p <0.001). The FAAR score was a good discriminator of mortality (C statistics 0.74 [95% confidence interval 0.71 to 0.78] at 30 days and 0.77 [95% confidence interval 0.75 to 0.79] at 2 years), maintained its performance in the EMMACE-1 cohort at 30 days (C statistics 0.76 (95% confidence interval 0.71 to 0.8] at 30 days and 0.79 (95% confidence interval 0.75 to 0.83] at 2 years), in men and women, in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and compared favorably with the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score. The integrated discrimination improvement (age to FAAR score at 30 days and at 2 years in EMMACE-1 and EMMACE-2) was p <0.001. In conclusion, the FAAR score is a point-of-admission risk tool that predicts 30-day and 2-year mortality from 2 variables across a spectrum of patients with acute coronary syndromes. It does not require the results of biomarker assays or rely on the subjective interpretation of electrocardiograms.

An assessment of the concentration-related prognostic value of cardiac troponin I following acute coronary syndrome.

In 2004 the British Cardiac Society redefined myocardial infarction by cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentration: ≤ 0.06 µg/L (unstable angina), >0.06 to < 0.5 µg/L (myocardial necrosis), and ≥ 0.5 µg/L (myocardial infarction). We investigated the effects of this classification on all-cause mortality in 1,285 patients from the Evaluation of the Methods and Management of Acute Coronary Events (EMMACE)-2 registry. There were 528 deaths (6.6-year all-cause mortality 41.1%). Survival was greatest in the cTnI ≤ 0.06-µg/L subgroup at 30 days (p = 0.005), 6 months (p = 0.015), 1 year (p = 0.002), and 6.6 years (p = 0.045). After adjustment there was no significant difference in survival between the cTnI >0.06- to < 0.5-µg/L and ≥ 0.5-µg/L subgroups. Increased mortality (hazard ratio, 95% confidence interval) was associated with ages 70 to 80 years (2.58, 1.17 to 3.91) and >80 years (3.30, 3.50 to 5.06), peripheral vascular disease (1.50, 1.16 to 1.94), heart failure (1.36, 1.05 to 1.83), diabetes mellitus (1.68, 1.36 to 2.07), severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction (1.50, 1.00 to 2.21), and creatinine per 10 µmol/L (1.65, 1.02 to 1.08), whereas ages 50 to 60 years (0.55, 0.32 to 0.96), ß blockers (0.53, 0.44 to 0.64), aspirin (0.80 0.65 to 0.99), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (0.67, 0.56 to 0.80), statins (0.73, 0.59 to 0.90), and revascularization (0.33, 0.12 to 0.92) were associated with a lower risk of death. In conclusion, although quantitative evaluation of cTnI concentration in patients with acute coronary syndrome with cTnI > 0.06 µg/L was associated with no added prognostic information, the dichotomization of patients by cTnI status ("positive" and "negative") facilitates acute coronary syndrome risk stratification.

Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein predicts long-term mortality and re-infarction in consecutive patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome who are troponin-negative.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to establish the prognostic value of measuring heart fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) (in particular, low- to intermediate-risk patients), in addition to troponin measured with the latest third-generation troponin assay. BACKGROUND: We have previously shown that H-FABP is a useful prognostic marker in patients with proven ACS. METHODS: Patients (n = 1,080) consecutively admitted to the hospital with suspected ACS were recruited over 46 weeks. Siemens Advia Ultra-TnI (Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Newbury, United Kingdom) and Randox Evidence H-FABP (Randox Laboratories, Ltd., Co., Antrim, United Kingdom) were analyzed on samples collected 12 to 24 h from symptom onset. After exclusion of patients with ST-segment elevation and new left bundle branch block, 955 patients were included in the analysis. RESULTS: The primary outcome measure of death or readmission with myocardial infarction after a minimum follow-up period of 12 months (median 18 months) occurred in 96 of 955 patients (10.1%). The H-FABP concentration was an independent predictor of death or myocardial infarction, after multivariate adjustment. Patients with H-FABP concentrations >6.48 microg/l had significantly increased risk of adverse events (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.62, 95% confidence interval: 1.30 to 5.28, p = 0.007). Among troponin-negative patients (which constituted 79.2% of the cohort), the aforementioned cutoff of 6.48 microg/l identified patients at very high risk for adverse outcomes independent of patient age and serum creatinine. CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated that the prognostic value of elevated H-FABP is additive to troponin in low- and intermediate-risk patients with suspected ACS. Other studies suggest that our observations reflect the value of H-FABP as a marker of myocardial ischemia, even in the absence of frank necrosis.

Diabetes mellitus and mortality after acute coronary syndrome as a first or recurrent cardiovascular event.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is associated with adverse cardiovascular prognosis. However, the risk associated with DM may vary between individuals according to their overall cardiovascular risk burden. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether DM is associated with poor outcome in patients presenting with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) according to the index episode being a first or recurrent cardiovascular event. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort study involving 2499 consecutively admitted patients with confirmed ACS in 11 UK hospitals during 2003. Usual care was provided for all participants. Demographic factors, co-morbidity and treatment (during admission and at discharge) factors were recorded. The primary outcome was all cause mortality (median 2 year follow up), compared for cohorts with and without DM according to their prior cardiovascular disease (CVD) disease status. Adjusted analyses were performed with Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Within the entire cohort, DM was associated with an unadjusted 45% increase in mortality. However, in patients free of a history of CVD, mortality of those with and without DM was similar (18.8% and 19.7% respectively; p = 0.74). In the group with CVD, mortality of patients with DM was significantly higher than those without DM (46.7% and 33.2% respectively; p<0.001). The age and sex adjusted interaction between DM and CVD in predicting mortality was highly significant (p = 0.002) and persisted after accounting for comorbidities and treatment factors (p = 0.006). Of patients free of CVD, DM was associated with smaller elevation of Troponin I (p<0.001). However in patients with pre-existing CVD Troponin I was similar (p = 0.992). CONCLUSIONS: DM is only associated with worse outcome after ACS in patients with a pre-existing history of CVD. Differences in the severity of myocyte necrosis may account for this. Further investigation is required, though our findings suggest that aggressive primary prevention of CVD in patients with DM may have beneficially modified their first presentation with (and mortality after) ACS.

Aspirin and mortality in patients with diabetes sustaining acute coronary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare mortality reduction associated with secondary prevention in patients with and without diabetes after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a cohort study involving 2,499 patients with ACS recruited from 11 U.K. hospitals. Multivariable analysis comparing all-cause mortality risk reduction associated with pharmacologic agents in patients with and without diabetes. RESULTS: Aspirin was not associated with significant mortality benefit in diabetes sufferers (95% CI 0.50-1.08); nondiabetic patients derived a 48% mortality reduction (P < 0.001). The interaction between diabetes and aspirin use was statistically significant (P = 0.037), indicating that patients with diabetes experience less effective mortality reduction from aspirin use. CONCLUSIONS: Aspirin, but not other secondary prevention agents, is associated with less effective mortality reduction in patients with diabetes and unstable coronary artery disease.

Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein predicts long-term mortality after acute coronary syndrome and identifies high-risk patients across the range of troponin values.

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to determine if a high-performance assay for heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) has a role in predicting all-cause mortality after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). BACKGROUND: Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein is released into the circulation following myocardial ischemia and necrosis and therefore may be of value to physicians when caring for patients admitted to hospital with a clinical diagnosis of ACS. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study with a follow-up of 12 months. The H-FABP was measured 12 to 24 h after onset of symptoms in 1,448 patients admitted to hospital with ACS. The main outcome measure was all-cause mortality 1 year after index hospital admission. Multivariable analyses were conducted using the well validated GRACE (Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) variables together with troponin I and highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). RESULTS: After 12 months of follow-up, 296 patients had died. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that H-FABP quartiles were strongly predictive of outcome: Q1 hazard ratio (HR) 1.0; Q2 HR 2.32 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.25 to 4.30; p = 0.007); Q3 HR 3.17 (95% CI 1.73 to 5.82; p < 0.001); Q4 HR 4.88 (95% CI 2.67 to 8.93; p < 0.001). The crude all-cause 1-year mortality for unstable angina patients with H-FABP <5.8 microg/l was 2.1% compared with 22.9% for patients above this cutoff. The adjusted all-cause mortality HR in this group was 11.35 (95% CI 2.00 to 64.34; p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein predicts long-term mortality after ACS and identifies high-risk patients in a manner that is additive to the GRACE clinical risk factors, troponin, and hs-CRP, possibly as a result of identifying the occurrence of myocardial ischemia with or without necrosis.