No abstract

Objective: To investigate long-term prognostic importance of newly discovered glucose disturbances in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: During 1998-2001, consecutive patients with AMI (n = 167) and healthy controls (n = 184) with no previously known diabetes were investigated with an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Patients and controls were separately followed up for cardiovascular events (first of cardiovascular mortality/AMI/stroke/heart failure) during a decade. Results: In all, 68% of the patients and 35% of the controls had newly detected abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT). Cardiovascular event (n = 72, p = 0.0019) and cardiovascular mortality (n = 31, p = 0.031) were more frequent in patients with newly detected AGT. Regarding patients, a Cox proportional-hazard regression analysis identified AGT (hazard ratio (HR): 2.30; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.24-4.25; p = 0.008) and previous AMI (HR: 2.39; CI: 1.31-4.35; p = 0.004) as prognostically important. Conclusion: An OGTT at discharge after AMI disclosed a high proportion of patients with previously unknown AGT which had a significant and independent association with long-term prognosis.