Plasma fibrinogen level and long-term prognosis in Norwegian middle-aged patients with previous myocardial infarction. A 10 year follow-up study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prognostic value of plasma fibrinogen level amongst middle-aged survivors of myocardial infarction (MI).


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
Determination of fibrinogen and other prognostic variables in MI patients recruited in a presumably stable phase of coronary heart disease (CHD).


METHODS
A total of 247 middle-aged CHD patients (54 women and 193 men) who had their first MI at age < or = 60 (women) or < or = 55 (men) were recruited at least 3 months after (mean 2.1 years) the most recent MI.


METHODS
The primary endpoint was total mortality, and the secondary endpoint was cardiac deaths. The tertiary endpoint was major cardiac events (cardiac death, MI and cardiac arrest).


RESULTS
During a follow-up period of 10 years a total of 44 patients had died, 36 from cardiac causes. Major cardiac event occurred in 70 patients. After adjusting for age, ejection fraction (EF), total serum cholesterol (TC), smoking and hypertension, patients in the top quartile of fibrinogen (> or = 4.0 g L-1) had a relative risk (RR) of 1.8 (95% CI 1.0-3.6) (P = 0.07) for death of all causes. The top quartile of fibrinogen was a stronger predictor of cardiac death; RR = 2.2 (95% CI 1.1-4.4) (P = 0.03), whilst the effect on the endpoint major cardiac event was not significant; RR=1.1 (95% CI 0.6-1.9) (P = 0.69).


CONCLUSIONS
A plasma fibrinogen level in the top quartile predicted cardiac death in middle-aged patients who had suffered MI.
Retterstol
L
L
Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo, Norway.
Kierulf
P
P
Pedersen
J C
JC
Bohn
M
M
Bakken
A
A
Erikssen
J
J
Berg
K
K
D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality*; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013318:Stroke Volume; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D008055:Lipids; D005340:Fibrinogen