Acute Phase Hypergylcemia among Patients Hospitalized with Acute Coronary Syndrome: Prevalence and Prognostic Significance

Abstract

Regardless of diabetes status, hyperglycemia on arrival for patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome, has been associated with adverse outcomes including death. The aim of this study is to look at the frequency and prognostic significance of acute phase hyperglycemia among patients attending the coronary care unit with acute coronary syndrome over the in-hospital admission days. The study included 287 consecutive patients in the Al-Faiha Hospital in Basrah (Southern Iraq) during a one year period from December 2007 to November 2008. Patients were divided into two groups with respect to admission plasma glucose level regardless of their diabetes status (those with admission plasma glucose of <140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L) and those equal to or more than that). Acute phase hyperglycemia was defined as a non-fasting glucose level equal to or above 140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L) regardless of past history of diabetes. Sixty one point seven percent (177) of patients were admitted with plasma glucose of ³140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L). There were no differences were found between both groups regarding the mean age, qualification, and smoking status, but males were predominant in both groups. A family history of diabetes, and hypertension, were more frequent in patients with plasma glucose of ³140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L). There were no differences between the two groups regarding past history of ischemic heart disease, stroke, lipid profile, troponin-I levels or type of acute coronary syndrome. Again heart failure was more common in the admission acute phase hyperglycemia group, but there was no difference regarding arrhythmia, stroke, or death. Using logistic regression with heart failure as the dependent variable we found that only the admission acute phase hyperglycemia (OR=2.1344, 95% CI=1.0282-4.4307; p=0.0419) was independently associated with heart failure. While male gender, family history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and diabetes were not independently associated with heart failure. Admission acute phase hyperglycemia of ³140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/L) was associated with heart failure in this study.