Clinical efficacy and safety of enoxaparin in unselected Swiss patients undergoing primary or elective percutaneous coronary intervention: analysis of the RIVIERA study

Increased Cystatin C Level in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Predisposes the Prognosis of Angioplasty

BACKGROUND

The study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of cystatin C in ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients who underwent elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on 664 STEMI patients from 7 centers who were treated with elective PCI. These patients were divided into 3 groups according their admission cystatin C levels as < 0.84, 0.84-1.03 and ≥1.04mg/L. The all-cause mortalities and the composite endpoints, including mortality, reinfarction, rehospitalization for heart failure and angina or repeat target vessel revascularization were observed for up to 5 years.

RESULTS

As cystatin C levels from low to high, all-cause mortalities were progressively increased 0.9%, 3.7% and 9.5% (P < 0.001), as well as the composite endpoints, 11.1%, 21.7% and 40.7%, respectively (P < 0.001). When patients had the level of cystatin C ≥0.84mg/L, their risks of composite endpoints increased 2- to 3-fold of those with <0.84mg/L, with the adjusted hazard ratio of 2.096 (95% CI: 1.047-4.196, P = 0.037) and 3.608 (95% CI: 1.939-6.716, P < 0.001), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased cystatin C levels may be associated with enhanced risks of composite endpoints in patients with STEMI undergoing elective PCI.

Choosing between Enoxaparin and Fondaparinux for the management of patients with acute coronary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Enoxaparin and Fondaparinux are potential anticoagulants which are used peri-operatively in the management of patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). We aimed to compare the adverse clinical outcomes which are associated with the use of these anticoagulants in patients who were treated for ACS.

METHODS

Online databases (PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane library) were searched for studies which compared differences in clinical outcomes observed with the use of enoxaparin and fondaparinux in patients who were treated peri-operatively for ACS. Statistical analysis was carried out by Revman 5.3 software with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) as the analytical parameters.

RESULTS

Seven studies with a total number of 9618 patients (mainly composed of non-ST elevated myocardial infarction/NSTEMI) were included. This analysis showed mortality to be similarly observed between enoxaparin and fondaparinux with OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.67-1.63; P = 0.84. Myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke were also not significantly different throughout different follow up periods. However, minor, major and total bleeding were significantly lower with fondaparinux (OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.27-0.58; P = 0.00001), (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.32-0.66; P = 0.0001) and (OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.37-0.60; P = 0.00001) respectively during the 10-day follow up period. Even during a follow up period of 30 days or a midterm follow up, major and minor bleeding still significantly favored fondaparinux in comparison to enoxaparin.

CONCLUSION

In patients who were treated for ACS, fondaparinux might be a better choice when compared to enoxaparin in terms of short to midterm bleeding events. This result was mainly applicable to patients with NSTEMI. However, due to a limited number of patients analyzed, further larger randomized trials should be able to confirm this hypothesis.