[Angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction in patients transferred from other hospitals].
BACKGROUND
Primary or rescue angioplasty are reperfusion modalities in selected patients with acute myocardial infarction, after initial diagnosis in local hospitals. We sought to evaluate the feasibility and safety of transporting patients to a tertiary care hospital for interventional treatment.


METHODS
Between January 1999 and April 2000, 50 consecutive patients were included in this prospective observational study. Comparisons were performed between patients admitted to primary angioplasty, either directly (n = 20; group A) or from other hospitals (n = 14; group B), and those transferred for rescue angioplasty (n = 16; group C).


RESULTS
No severe complications occurred during interhospital transport. Median time interval from onset of symptoms to hospitalization was comparable between groups. Median time interval from onset of symptoms to balloon inflation in group C (340 minutes) was significantly longer than in groups A and B (181 and 130 minutes). All patients were alive at follow-up after median 230 days. Median echocardiographically determined left ventricular ejection fraction in group A was non-significantly higher (50%) than in groups B and C (43% and 46%).


CONCLUSIONS
Acute transfer for primary or rescue angioplasty is feasible and safe for selected patients with acute myocardial infarction.
Andreassen
A K
AK
Hjertemedisinsk avdeling Rikshospitalet 0027 Oslo. arne.andreassen@rikshospitalet.no
Nanbjør
A
A
Endresen
K
K
Offstad
J
J
D000328:Adult; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy*; D009664:Norway; D018579:Patient Selection; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014187:Transportation of Patients