Abstract:
Introduction: Patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) are at a high risk of re-hospitalization within the first six months after hospital discharge. Risk stratification at admission seems to be essential for a tailored therapeutic strategy as well as short and long-term monitoring of outcomes after discharge.
Objectives: To stratify risk level, rate of re-hospitalization, and predictors for six-month re-hospitalization by using the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk scoring.
Design and Methods: Observational and retro-prospective study design using secondary data from patient record documents. Eligible sample were a total of 176 NSTEMI patients admitted to a 170-bed community hospital during January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2015. Sixteen (9.09%) died at the first time admission. Final samples of 160 patients were included and the end-point outcomes were measured. The risk for re-hospitalization was assessed on admission by using the Otago-Southland GRACE risk scoring model. This model consisted of nine risks: age, history of myocardial infarction, history of heart failure, heart rate on admission, systolic blood pressure on admission, ST-segment change, initial serum creatinine, elevated cardiac enzymes, and no in-hospital percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The total range score of 1-263 with the higher the score indicated the higher risk. This scoring system can stratify patients into 3 levels as mild (<100), moderate (100-149), and severe (≥150). Cardiac causes of re-hospitalization during the six-month post-discharge were documented from patient record form. Statistical program (SPSS package for PC Window) was used for data analysis. Descriptive analysis was used to determine the rate and risk level of re-hospitalization. Odds ratio (OR), 95% confidential interval (CI), and logistic regression were used to determine the predictors of re-hospitalization. Eight risk factors, PCI was not included in the final multivariate model, because only one patient underwent the PCI regiment.
Results: Re-hospitalization rate was 40% (n = 64). The mean GRACE risk score was 138.13±30.51 (range 56-209). The higher GRACE score was significantly associated with re-hospitalization (Chi-square 11.02, p = 0.004). Approximately 2-4 fold increment risk for re-hospitalization was found in those with moderate (OR 1.62, 95% 0.48-5.42) and severe (OR 4.38, 95%CI 1.30-14.78) risk groups, compared to the mild risk group. The final multivariate model of eight risk factors was significantly explained by 60% (p = 0.01) of the variance on six-month re-hospitalization. Similar to the univariate analysis, none of the individual risk factors in multivariate model significantly predicted the six-month re-hospitalization. However, the increment risk and odds ratio for re-hospitalization were found in those patients with an increasing interval of each individual risk. Increment of the higher risk of re-hospitalization was found in patients with age of ≥60 year, had a history of myocardial infarction, had a history of heart failure, a heart rate of ≥110 beat per minute, systolic blood pressure of <200 mmHg, ST-segment changed, serum creatinine of ≥1.20 mg/dl, and elevated cardiac enzymes.
Conclusions: Using the Otago-Southland GRACE risk score can be prognostic for the six-month re-hospitalization after discharge. Patients with NSTEMI who had moderate-to-severe risk score required complex care in order to reduce the risk of re-hospitalization and other major adverse cardiovascular events.
Keywords: non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), GRACE risk score,
re-hospitalization, major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE)
WALAILAK UNIVERSITY. CENTER FOR LIBRARY RESOURCES AND EDUCATIONAL MEDIA