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Purpose: Our objectives were to describe recent trends in the characteristics and in-hospital outcomes in diabetic as compared with non-diabetic patients hospitalized with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)., Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 2537 persons with (n = 684) and without (n = 1853) a history of diabetes who were hospitalized for STEMI between 1997 and 2009 at 11 medical centres in Central Massachusetts., Results: Diabetic patients were more likely to be older, female and to have a higher prevalence of previously diagnosed comorbidities. Diabetic patients were more likely to have developed important in-hospital complications and to have a longer hospital stay compared with non-diabetic patients. Between 1997 and 2009, there was a marked decline in hospital mortality in diabetic (20.0%-5.6%) and non-diabetic (18.6%-7.5%) patients., Conclusion: Despite reduced hospital mortality in patients hospitalized with STEMI, diabetic patients continue to experience significantly more adverse outcomes than non-diabetics.

The objectives of this study were to describe contemporary postdischarge death rates of patients hospitalized at all Worcester, Massachusetts, hospitals after initial acute myocardial infarctions (AMIs) and to examine factors associated with a poor prognosis. The medical records of patients discharged from 11 central Massachusetts medical centers after initial AMIs during 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007 were reviewed, identifying 2,452 patients. This population was composed of predominantly older patients, men (58%), and whites. Overall, the 3-month, 1-year, and 2-year all-cause death rates were 8.9%, 16.4%, and 23.4%, respectively. Over time, reductions in postdischarge mortality were observed in crude as well as multivariate-adjusted analyses. In 2001, the 3-month, 1-year, and 2-year all-cause death rates were 11.1%, 17.1%, and 25.6%, respectively, compared to rates of 7.9%, 12.7%, and 18.6% in patients discharged in 2007. Older age, male gender, hospitalization for a non-ST-segment elevation AMI, renal dysfunction, and preexisting heart failure were associated with an increased risk for dying after hospital discharge. These results suggest that the postdischarge prognosis of patients with initial AMIs has improved, likely reflecting enhanced in-hospital and postdischarge management practices. In conclusion, patients with initial AMIs can also be identified who are at increased risk for dying after hospital discharge, in whom increased surveillance and targeted treatment approaches can be directed., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Limited data exist on recent trends in ambulance use and factors associated with ambulance use in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), particularly from the more generalizable perspective of a community-wide investigation. This population-based prospective epidemiologic study describes the decade-long trends (1997-2007) in the use of emergency medical services (EMS) by residents of the Worcester, Massachusetts, metropolitan area who are hospitalized for AMI and the characteristics of patients with AMI who are transported to the hospital by EMS (n = 3789) compared with those transported by other means (n = 1505)., Methods: The study population consisted of 5294 patients hospitalized for AMI at 11 greater Worcester medical centers in 5 annual periods between 1997 and 2007. Information on the use of EMS and the factors associated with EMS use was obtained through the review of hospital medical records., Results: There was a progressive increase in the proportion of greater Worcester residents with AMI who were transported to central Massachusetts hospitals by ambulance over time (66.9% transported in 1997; 74.9% transported in 2007). Patients transported by EMS were older, more likely to be women, and more likely to have a greater prevalence of previously diagnosed comorbidities., Conclusion: Our findings provide encouragement for the use of EMS in residents of a large central New England community hospitalized with AMI. Despite increasing trends in ambulance use, more research is needed to explore the reasons why patients with AMI do not use EMS in the setting of an acute cardiac emergency., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction Early and accurate identification of acute coronary syndrome ( ACS) vs. noncardiac chest pain in patients presenting to the emergency department ( ED) is problematic and new diagnostic markers are needed. Previous studies reported that elevated mean platelet volume ( MPV) is associated with ACS and predictive of cardiovascular risk. MPV is closely related to the immature platelet fraction ( IPF), and recent studies have suggested that IPF may be a more sensitive marker of ACS than MPV. The objective of the present study was to determine whether the measurement of IPF assists in the diagnosis of ACS in patients presenting to the ED with chest pain. Methods In this single-center, prospective, cross-sectional study, adult patients presenting to the ED with chest pain and/or suspected ACS were considered for enrollment. Blood samples from 236 ACS-negative and 44 ACS-positive patients were analyzed in a Sysmex XE-2100 for platelet count, MPV, IPF, and the absolute count of immature platelets ( IPC). Results Total platelet counts, MPV, IPF, and IPC were not statistically different between ACS-negative and ACS-positive patients. The IPF was 4.6 ± 2.7% and 5.0 ± 2.8% (mean ± SD, P = 0.24), and the IPC was 10.0 ± 4.6 and 11.5 ± 7.5 × 103/ μL ( P = 0.27) for ACS-negative and ACS-positive patients, respectively. Conclusion In 280 patients presenting to the ED with chest pain and/or suspected ACS, no differences in IPF, IPC or MPV were observed in ACS-negative vs. ACS-positive patients, suggesting that these parameters do not assist in the diagnosis of ACS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Early and accurate identification of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) vs. noncardiac chest pain in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) is problematic and new diagnostic markers are needed. Previous studies reported that elevated mean platelet volume (MPV) is associated with ACS and predictive of cardiovascular risk. MPV is closely related to the immature platelet fraction (IPF), and recent studies have suggested that IPF may be a more sensitive marker of ACS than MPV. The objective of the present study was to determine whether the measurement of IPF assists in the diagnosis of ACS in patients presenting to the ED with chest pain. METHODS: In this single-center, prospective, cross-sectional study, adult patients presenting to the ED with chest pain and/or suspected ACS were considered for enrollment. Blood samples from 236 ACS-negative and 44 ACS-positive patients were analyzed in a Sysmex XE-2100 for platelet count, MPV, IPF, and the absolute count of immature platelets (IPC). RESULTS: Total platelet counts, MPV, IPF, and IPC were not statistically different between ACS-negative and ACS-positive patients. The IPF was 4.6 ± 2.7% and 5.0 ± 2.8% (mean ± SD, P = 0.24), and the IPC was 10.0 ± 4.6 and 11.5 ± 7.5 × 10(3) /μL (P = 0.27) for ACS-negative and ACS-positive patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: In 280 patients presenting to the ED with chest pain and/or suspected ACS, no differences in IPF, IPC or MPV were observed in ACS-negative vs. ACS-positive patients, suggesting that these parameters do not assist in the diagnosis of ACS.