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Giuseppe Berton, Rosa Palmieri, Rocco Cordiano, Fiorella Cavuto, Sigismondo Pianca and Paolo Palatini

Background The relationship between acute-phase inflammatory markers in the setting of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and long-term outcomes is largely unexplored.

Objectives The aim of the study was to investigate the predictive power of acute-phase inflammatory markers following AMI for short-term and long-term mortality separately and modes of death.

Methods In 220 unselected patients with AMI [median age 67 (interquartile range 60-74) years, women 26%], blood neutrophil granulocytes, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and a1-acid glycoprotein were measured 1, 3 and 7 days after admission. All patients completed 7 years of follow-up. Endpoints were 1-year (short-term) and 2- to 7-vear (long-term) mortality and modes of death, classified as nonsudden cardiovascular, sudden, and noncardiovascular death.

Results The short-term mortality rate was 18%. The long- term mortality rate was 26%. The short-term mortality risk was higher in patients in whom the markers were in the upper tertile. Fully adjusted hazard ratios (and 95% confidence interval) were 3.2 (1.4-7.9), 3.5 (1.7-7.9), 3.5 (1.6-8.6), and 6.1 (2.3-19.1) for neutrophil granulocyte, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and «i-acid glycoprotein, respectively. The excess mortality was chiefly due to nonsudden cardiovascular mortality

Conclusion The acute-phase inflammatory markers tested following AMI are independently and concordantly associated with short-term mortality and their prediction is associated only with nonsudden cardiovascular modes of death. These markers are not associated with long-term mortality.

Keywords C-reactive protein, inflammatory markers, long-term mortality, myocardial infarction, prognosis, short-term mortality

Welcome

In 1992, a small group of medical researchers and other participants embarked on an project to investigate new clinical factors for heart disease, studying patients with acute coronary syndrome and following them for many years. Today, the observations on the long-term survival after acute coronary syndrome are internationally acknowledged. Main results appears on the most important cardiovascular texts across the world. The study is called “the ABC heart disease study”.

Nel 1992, un piccolo gruppo di medici ricercatori ed altri operatori sanitari, iniziarono un progetto per studiare nuovi fattori clinici della malattia cardiaca, studiando pazienti con sindrome coronarica acuta e seguendoli per molti anni. Oggi, ciò che è stato osservato sulla sopravvivenza a lungo temine dopo sindrome coronarica acuta è riconosciuto a livello internazionale. I principali risultati appaiono sui maggiori testi di medicina cardiovascolare in tutto il mondo. Questo progetto è stato chiamato “the ABC heart disease study”.

Mission

The Mission of the ABC Study on Heart Disease Project is to promote the knowledge on heart disease chiefly based on the long-term follow up of the patients. And to promote citizen health supporting preventive, social, and sport activities.