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Introduction: Few studies have investigated the characteristics of patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) according to age and sex in Iran. This study aims to investigate the risk factors profile, treatment, and mortality of STEMI based on age and sex. Methods: From 10th June 2016 to December 2019, a total of 2816 STEMI patients referred to the Imam Ali heart center of Kermanshah were included in the study. Profile of the risk factors, epidemiology, treatment and 30- day mortality for all cases in the age categories of 18-49, 50-64, and > 65 years were studied. Results: There were 1256 (44.6%) middle-aged STEMI patients, and 2181 (77.45%) were male. The elderly had a longer median door-to-balloon and symptom-to-balloon time and received less primary PCI. In the absence of primary PCI, the rate of 30-day mortality in women was higher than in men, and the mortality rate increased with age. The risk of death in middle-aged women was higher than that of men. Also, in the middle-aged group, after multivariable adjustment, previous bypass surgery, diabetes, and Killip class > 2 was associated with significant increase in the risk of death. Conclusion: The present study showed that young people with STEMI had a high risk of heart failure and anterior infarction compared to the older age groups. Women had more risk factors for STEMI and a higher mortality rate than men. Therefore, there is a need to educate young age groups and women to modify their lifestyles and intervene in the risk factors of heart diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about the predictors of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) --an important predictor of mortality-- after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in low- and middle-income countries. Methods: In a prospective cohort study at Imam Ali hospital, Kermanshah, Iran, we enrolled consecutive ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients treated with primary PCI (2016-2018) and followed them up to one year. LVEF levels were measured by echocardiography, at baseline and one-year follow-up. Determinants of preserved/improved LVEF were assessed using multivariable logistic regression models. Results: Of 803 patients (mean age 58.53±11.7 years, 20.5% women), baseline LVEF levels of ≤35% were reported in 44%, 35-50% in 40%, and ≥50% in 16% of patients. The mean ± SD of LVEF increased from 38.13%±9.2% at baseline to 41.49%±9.5% at follow-up. LVEF was preserved/improved in 629 (78.3%) patients. Adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for predictors of preserved/improved LVEF showed positive associations with creatinine clearance, 1.01 (1.00-1.02) and adherence to clopidogrel, 2.01 (1.33-3.02); and inverse associations with history of myocardial infarction (MI), 0.44 (0.25-0.78); creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), 0.997 (0.996-0.999); door-balloon time (3rd vs. 1st tertile), 0.62 (0.39-0.98); number of diseased vessels (2 and 3 vs. 1: 0.63 (0.41-0.99) and 0.58 (0.36-0.93), respectively); and baseline LVEF (35-50% and ≥50% vs. ≤35%: 0.45 (0.28-0.71) and 0.19 (0.11-0.34), respectively). Conclusion: Adherence to clopidogrel, short door-balloon time, high creatinine clearance, and lower baseline LVEF were associated with preserved/improved LVEF, while history of MI, high CK-MB, and multi-vessel disease were predictors of reduced LVEF. Long-term drug adherence should be considered for LVEF improvement in low- and middle-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Contrast-induced nephropathy is one of the most common adverse consequences of contrast media use. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of pentoxifylline to prevent contrast-induced nephropathy in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods: This prospective, single-blind, quasi-experimental study was performed on 68 patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction who were admitted for percutaneous coronary intervention at Imam Ali Hospital, affiliated with Kermanshah university of medical science (KUMS), Kermanshah province, Iran. Patients were assigned randomly to the control (n = 34) and pentoxifylline (n = 34) groups. Normal saline 0.9% at 0.5-1 mL/kg/h was prescribed from 12 hours before to 12 hours after angioplasty. Pentoxifylline was prescribed at a dose of 400 mg 3 times per day from 24 hours before to 48 hours after angioplasty. Serum creatinine level was measured for both groups at the time of referral and after 72 hours of angioplasty. Independent samples t-tests, chi-square test, and Fisher’s exact test were used to assess the differences between groups. Results: No significant difference was found between the 2 groups regarding demographic and baseline clinical characteristics. The mean serum creatinine level (time of referral) was 1.52 ± 0.11 mg/dL and 1.55 ± 0.14 mg/dL in pentoxifylline and control groups, respectively (P = .999). Seventy-two hours after angiography, the mean serum creatinine level was 1.54 ± 0.13 mg/dL and 1.56 ± 0.17 mg/dL in pentoxifylline and control groups, respectively (P = .999). We found that contrast-induced nephropathy occurred in 7 patients (10.3%); 4 controls (11.8%), and 3 patients (8.8%) in the pentoxifylline group, which was not significantly different between the 2 groups (P = .690). Conclusion: The findings of the current study showed that oral administration of pentoxifylline to patients at higher risk for developing contrast-induced nephropathy undergoing coronary angioplasty may decrease the occurrence of contrast-induced nephropathy, but this decrease is not statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Premature coronary artery disease (CAD) is still prevalent worldwide and may differ in various ethnicities. Due to the presence of different ethnicities in Iran, the Iran-premature coronary artery disease (I-PAD) study aimed to determine the frequency of premature CAD and related risk factors based on each ethnicity. METHODS: In this multi-center case-control study, 4000 patients with premature CAD from ten different ethnicities who lived in different cities of Iran and underwent coronary angiography were enrolled (women aged ≤ 70 and men ≤ 60 years). Patients with CAD defined as obstruction equal or above 75% in at least a single coronary artery or left main ≥ 50% were included in the case group, while patients with normal coronary arteries were included in the control group. Lifestyle behaviors, cardiometabolic risk factors, anthropometric measurements, and other variables were collected. Serum, whole blood, buffy coat, plasma, urine, stool, and saliva samples were stored. RESULTS: The number of patients enrolled until April 2020 was 2071. The mean age of patients was 53.51 ± 7.52 and 934 (45.09%) of patients were women. To date, about 39.6% of the patients were normal. Also, about 26.0% were with one-vessel disease (1VD), 15.0% with two-vessel disease (2VD), and 15.2% with three-vessel disease (3VD). More than 30000 patients' biosamples from across the country have been stored. CONCLUSION: Knowing the frequency of premature CAD according to different ethnicities with major differences in their lifestyle behaviors and risk factors can assist health decision-makers. In addition, I-PAD biosamples will be an invaluable source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Circadian variation is known as an important factor in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Moreover, the circadian pattern may help in disease prevention and better medication prescription. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the circadian pattern of symptom onset in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 777 patients admitted to the Imam Ali Cardiovascular Center, Kermanshah, Iran, with a diagnosis of STEMI from March 2018 to February 2019. Data were collected using a checklist developed based on the study's objectives. Differences between subgroups were assessed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post-hoc testing and chi-square test (or Fisher's exact test). RESULTS: Out of the 777 patients, 616 (79.3%) were men. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of age of the patients was 60.93 ± 12.86 years. 380 patients (48.9%) were current smoker, 40.3% were hypertensive, 21.1% had hypercholesterolemia, 18.3% had diabetes mellitus (DM), 25.2% had history of angina, and about 15.0% had history of myocardial infarction (MI). The occurrence of STEMI was most common during hours between 06:01-12:00 (27.7%), followed by 12:01-18:00 (27.3%), 00:00-06:00 (24.3%), and 18:01-24:00 (20.7%), respectively. Gender was significantly associated with circadian pattern of STEMI. Women showed a double peak of symptom onset in 06:01-12:00 and 12:01-18:00. CONCLUSION: The present study of Iranian patients displayed circadian pattern of STEMI with 2 peaks in the morning and afternoon, and the both peaks were dominated by women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the in-hospital mortality of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), according to gender and other likely risk factors. Methods: This study reports on data relating to 1,484 consecutive patients with STEMI registered from June 2016 to May 2018 in the Western Iran STEMI Registry. Data were collected using a standardized case report developed by the European Observational Registry Program (EORP). The relationship between in-hospital mortality and potential predicting variables was assessed multivariable logistic regression. Differences between groups in mortality rates were compared using chi-square tests and independent t-tests. Results: Out of the 1484 patients, 311(21%) were female. Women were different from men in terms of age (65.8 vs. 59), prevalence of hypertension (HTN) (63.7% vs. 35.4%), diabetes mellitus (DM) (37.7% vs. 16.2%), hypercholesterolemia (36.7% vs. 18.5%) and the history of previous congestive heart failure (CHF) (6.6% vs. 3.0%). Smoking was more prevalent among men (55.9% vs. 13.2%). Although the in-hospital mortality rate was higher in women (11.6% vs. 5.5%), after adjusting for other risk factors, female sex was not an independent predictor for in-hospital mortality. Multivariable analysis identified that age and higher Killip class (≥II) were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality rate. Conclusion: In-hospital mortality after STEMI in women was higher than men. However, the role of sex as an independent predictor of mortality disappeared in regression analysis. The gender based difference in in-hospital mortality after STEMI may be related to the poorer cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor profile of the women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In patients who undergoing PCI, association between right ventricular function and outcome of the procedure remained unclear. The present study aimed to determine association between echocardiography findings of systolic right ventricular function and functional status of patients following PCI. Methods: In a cross-sectional study conducted at Imam Ali hospital and heart center in Kermanshah, Iran in 2013, 40 patients with history of inferior wall myocardial infarction (Inf MI) according to previous electrocardiography (ECG) in past hospitalization for MI who were candidate for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on right coronary artery (RCA) and had left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 40% were included. The subjects underwent echocardiography on admission to assess echocardiography indices of systolic right ventricular function including tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), tricuspid annular systolic velocity (TASV), Tei-index (Myocardial performance index), and RV fractional area (RVFA) change that was repeated one month later. Baseline functional status was assessed based on the New York Heart Association functional classification score (NYHA score) that divided to 4 grades. Results: NYHA score improved following PCI procedure (from 2.20±0.46 to 1.10±0.30, P<0.001). The mean score of TAPSE significantly increased from 18.68±2.12 to 20.40±2.11 (P<0.001). The mean of TASV also increased from 13.28±1.52 to 14.85±1.90 (P<0.001). Also, Tei-index was improved from 0.52±0.05 to 0.47±0.03 (P<0.001). Moreover, RVFA was significantly increased after PCI (from 35.02±2.40 to 38.25±2.57, P<0.001). There was no significant relationship between the changes in NYHA score and each of right ventricular systolic function indices. Conclusion: Although right ventricular systolic function considerably improved following PCI procedure, but the changes in this improvement is not associated with the improvement of function class after the procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hypertension is widely known as a significant factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases. However, there is increasing interest in the potential link between low admission systolic blood pressure (SBP) and higher mortality rates. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between admission SBP and the probability of one-year mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)., Method: This study, which used data from registries, focused on patients diagnosed with STEMI between July 2018 and December 2019. The patients were divided into three groups based on their admission SBP: normal (< 112 mm Hg), elevated (112-140 mm Hg), and hypertension (≥140 mm Hg), and were followed for one year. The researchers used Cox proportional models to analyze the data, which allowed them to estimate crude and fully adjusted hazard ratios, along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (HR, 95% CI)., Results: This study, which included 1159 patients with a mean age of 60.71±12.19, 914 (78.86%) were male, and 108 (9.32%) died within one year. Among the patients, 276 had a normal admission SBP, 338 had elevated SBP, and 545 had hypertension. Those with hypertension had a higher-risk profile, including factors such as hyperlipidemia, BMI, LDL levels, anterior myocardial infarction, and a higher prevalence of females. The crude and fully adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for the relationship between elevated admission SBP and mortality were calculated as 0.36 (95% CI: 0.23-0.56) and 0.43 (95% CI: 0.23-0.81), respectively., Conclusion: The study's findings indicate a connection between increased admission SBP and a decreased probability of one-year mortality among patients with STEMI. Unlike the general population, where there is a direct linear correlation between SBP and the risk of future cardiovascular events, this research demonstrates an inverse relationship between SBP and one-year mortality., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center & Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.)

Background: Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) is the leading cause of global mortality. Moreover, Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) is the most important predictor of post-AMI mortality. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between smoking cessation and LVEF following one year from the STEMI., Method: The present study was a part of the Kermanshah STEMI Registry and included 825 smokers admitted to Imam Ali Hospital, Kermanshah, Iran, with AMI during a 2-year study period. Data collection was performed using the standardized case report form by the European Observational Registry Program (EORP). Moreover, multiple logistic regression was used to compare LVEF between the patients who had quit smoking post-AMI and those who were still smokers after one year. Also, one-to-one Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was used to reduce the assessment error and selection bias, increase the result accuracy, and minimize the effects of confounders on the LVEF-smoking relationship., Results: Following one year after AMI, 219 (26.55%) patients had quit smoking, while 606 (73.45%) still smoked. Using the PSM, a total of 168 ex-smokers were matched to 168 current smokers. Moreover, it was shown that LVEF was higher in current smokers compared to ex-smokers. However, the difference was not significant. Also, multiple logistic regression showed that the Odds Ratio (OR) of LVEF reduction was insignificantly higher in ex-smokers (OR=1.13; 95% CI: 0.98-1.29) compared to current smokers. Multivariate regression analysis found similar results even after the application of PSM (OR = 1.02; 95% CI: 0.82-1.22)., Conclusions: Given the low rate of smoking cessation after MI, physicians are recommended to ask about the smoking status of MI patients at each office visit or re-admission and strongly recommend quitting smoking., (© 2023 Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center & Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.)

Background: Obesity is strongly associated with increased cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. However, numerous studies have suggested the existence of an "obesity paradox" in which overweight and mildly obese patients often exhibit a better outcome than their leaner counterparts. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the association between BMI and in-hospital and one-year outcomes., Method: This hospital-based research was conducted as a part of the Kermanshah STEMI Registry. Following the application of inclusion criteria, a total of 2,397 STEMI patients were evaluated. The data were collected using a standardized case report developed by the European Observational Registry Program (EORP). Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m 2 ) was classified into underweight (<18.5), normal weight (18.5-24.9), overweight (25-29.9), class I/mild obese (30-34.9), and class II/extreme obese (≥35) categories. The independent predictors of the in-hospital and one-year outcomes were assessed using multivariable logistic regression models., Results: Out of the 2397 patients, 43 (1.79%) were underweight, 934 (38.97%) were normal, 1038 (43.30%) were overweight, 322 (13.43%) were class I obese, and 60 (2.50%) were class II obese. The results of the crude analysis showed that class I obesity was protective against CV death (OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.30-0.84), MACE3 (MI, stroke, and death) (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.29-0.76), and MACE5 (MACE3 plus unstable angina and heart failure) (OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.44-0.79)., Conclusions: Multivariate adjustment eliminated the protective effect of class I obesity against death and MACE events. Therefore, it is possible that this protective effect does not exist and instead reflects the impact of confounding variables such as age., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (© 2023 Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center & Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.)