Modes and timing of death in 66 252 patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes enrolled in 14 TIMI trials

Eur Heart J. 2018 Nov 7;39(42):3810-3820. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehy556.

Abstract

Aims: Although presenting features and early sequelae of non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS) are well described, less is known about longer-term risks and modes of death. The purpose of this study was to characterize modes of death following NSTE-ACS in clinical trial populations.

Methods and results: We evaluated 66 252 patients with NSTE-ACS enrolled in 14 Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) trials, examining baseline characteristics and modes and timing of death. Of the 66 252 patients followed for a median of 372 (interquartile range 218-521) days, 3147 (4.8%) died by the time of last follow-up. Of the 2606 patients (82.8%) with known modes of death, 75.1% were related to a cardiovascular (CV) event, 3.0% were related to a bleeding event (including intracranial haemorrhage), and 21.8% were related to a non-CV/non-bleeding event. The most common modes of CV death were sudden death (SD) and recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) (36.4% and 23.4%, respectively, of CV deaths). The proportion of CV deaths related to recurrent MI was higher in the first 30 days than it was after 30 days following NSTE-ACS (30.6% vs. 18.7%), whereas the proportion of SD was lower in the first 30 days than after 30 days (21.6% vs. 46.2%).

Conclusion: Sudden death represents the largest proportion of CV deaths after 30 days among patients enrolled in CV clinical trials with NSTE-ACS. Further investigations aimed at defining the epidemiology of SD and developing specific therapies and management approaches to reduce SD following NSTE-ACS may be critical to reducing late mortality.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Acute Coronary Syndrome* / epidemiology
  • Acute Coronary Syndrome* / mortality
  • Aged
  • Cohort Studies
  • Death, Sudden, Cardiac / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myocardial Infarction / mortality