These findings suggest that the presence of new-onset AF during ACS is associated with a significant increase in mortality, even after adjusting for confounding variables.

No abstract

Antiplatelet switching in the management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) seems to be safe, but prospective data are limited. This retrospective study assessed the safety and efficacy of in-hospital clopidogrel-to-prasugrel switching in patients with ACS. We analysed 525 consecutive patients with ACS admitted to our coronary care unit. We assessed the prevalence and the short-term outcomes of in-hospital clopidogrel-to-prasugrel switching. Bleeding and thrombotic events were assessed using propensity score matching analysis. A total of 468 patients received acetylsalicylic acid and a P2Y12 ADP receptor inhibitor. Medication switching occurred in 117 patients (25 %). Compared with the clopidogrel group, the switching group consisted preferentially of younger males with STEMI, exhibited fewer comorbidities, and had lower ischaemic risk. We found no differences between the switching group and the clopidogrel group in the bleeding rate [3.6 vs. 2.3 %, odds ratio (OR):1.59 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.26-9.7, p NS], and in adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (MACCE) (5 vs. 8.4 %, OR: 0.57 95 % CI 0.16-2, p NS). In-hospital switching from clopidogrel to prasugrel in a selected high-risk ACS population resulted in a similar incidence of in-hospital haemorrhagic and thrombotic events. This strategy should be clarified in further randomised studies.

No abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the influence of the previous use of digoxin on the hospital mortality and complications of patients admitted because of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We analyzed the data of patients included in the ARIAM-Andalucia Registry, which involves 49 hospitals in Andalucia, Spain, from 2007 to 2012. Patients on digoxin treatment prior to their admission because of ACS constituted the digoxin group (DG), and were compared with the group of patients not on digoxin. Logistic regression and propensity score matching were used to analyze the differences. We included 20,331 patients, of whom 244 (1.2%) were on digoxin. DG patients were older (73.1 vs 63.7 years old), more often women, and had more diabetes, hypertension, previous myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, peripheral vascular disease, obstructive pulmonary disease or kidney disease. On univariate analysis, DG patients had significantly higher hospital mortality (13.5 vs 5.3% P < 0.001), and more cardiogenic shock, but less ventricular fibrillation, and no differences in atrioventricular block, stroke or reinfarction. After the multivariate analysis, DG had no significant influence on hospital prognosis [odds ratio (OR) 1.21, 95% confidence interval 0.79-1.86]. The analysis of a propensity-matched cohort of 464 patients (232 DG and 232 NoDG) did not find differences in hospital mortality (13.4 vs 13.4%) nor other complications. In our cohort of ACS patients, the previous treatment with digoxin was not associated with an increase in dysrhythmic complications nor was an independent predictor of mortality during hospitalization.