Epidemiology Commons^™

Recent Trends In Post-Discharge Mortality Among Patients With An Initial Acute Myocardial Infarction, Andrew Coles, Kimberly Fisher, Chad Darling, David Mcmanus, Oscar Maitas, Jorge Yarzebski, Joel Gore, Darleen Lessard, Robert Goldberg

Jorge L. Yarzebski

The objectives of this study were to describe contemporary postdischarge death rates of patients hospitalized at all Worcester, Massachusetts, hospitals after initial acute myocardial infarctions (AMIs) and to examine factors associated with a poor prognosis. The medical records of patients discharged from 11 central Massachusetts medical centers after initial AMIs during 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007 were reviewed, identifying 2,452 patients. This population was composed of predominantly older patients, men (58%), and whites. Overall, the 3-month, 1-year, and 2-year all-cause death rates were 8.9%, 16.4%, and 23.4%, respectively. Over time, reductions in postdischarge mortality were observed in crude as well …

Fibrinogen, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Copd) And Outcomes In Two United States Cohorts, Deepa Valvi, David M. Mannino, Hana Mullerova, Ruth Tal-Singer

David M. Mannino

Background

Fibrinogen is a marker of systemic inflammation and may be important in the pathogenesis and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods

We used baseline data from Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities and Cardiovascular Health Studies to determine the relation between fibrinogen levels and COPD and to examine how fibrinogen levels at baseline affected outcomes of death, development of COPD, lung function decline, and COPD-hospitalizations.

Results

Our study sample included 20,192 subjects, of whom 2995 died during the follow-up period. The mean fibrinogen level was 307.6 mg/dL and 10% of the sample had levels >393.0 mg/dL. Subjects with Stage …

Trends And Outcomes Associated With Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors, Chyke Doubeni, Carol Bigelow, Darleen Lessard, Frederick Spencer, Jorge Yarzebski, Joel Gore, Jerry Gurwitz, Robert Goldberg

Chyke A. Doubeni

BACKGROUND: Limited recent data are available describing the patterns of use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), particularly from the more generalizable population-based setting. The purpose of this study was to examine trends in the receipt of ACEIs and associated short-term outcomes in patients hospitalized with AMI in a large Northeastern community.

METHODS: We conducted a community-wide study of 7991 patients hospitalized with AMI in all metropolitan Worcester, Massachusetts, medical centers during 8 annual periods between 1990 and 2003.

RESULTS: Among all patients, 44% received ACEI therapy during their acute hospitalization. There …

Treatment Practices And Outcomes Of Patients With Established Peripheral Arterial Disease Hospitalized With Acute Myocardial Infarction In A Community Setting, Frederick Spencer, Darleen Lessard, Chyke Doubeni, Jorge Yarzebski, Joel Gore, Robert Goldberg

Chyke A. Doubeni

BACKGROUND: There are little contemporary data available describing the hospital and long-term outcomes of patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) who are hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The objectives of our population-based study were to examine the hospital and long-term outcomes, as well as the use of different treatment practices, among patients with established PAD who were hospitalized with AMI. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 4480 patients hospitalized with AMI at all Worcester, Mass, medical centers in 4 alternate years between 1997 and 2003. RESULTS: Among the metropolitan Worcester residents hospitalized with AMI, 13.5% had a history of …