Acute myocardial infarction in young patients: nutritional status and biochemical factors.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to establish whether nutritional status and biochemical factors, C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA) protein, serum iron (Fe) and fibrinogen at admission were different in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) at a young age (<40 years) vs. those with AMI at an older age (>60 years). We also investigated whether during the stay in the hospital, the increase in acute-phase reactants was different in young vs. older subjects, and if dyslipidemic aspects were different between the two groups.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 40 patients, all males with a mean age of 36.7+/-1.16 years, admitted to our facility with AMI. The control group included 40 patients, all males, mean age of 66.3+/-4.24 years, with AMI. CRP, SAA, Fe and fibrinogen were determined at admission to the hospital and daily for 7 days in the two groups of patients.


RESULTS
In young patients the median value of the highest levels were 6.2 mg/l (range 0.7-27.30) for CRP, 13.22 mg/l (range 0.7-130) for SAA, 420 mg/dl (range 76-840) for fibrinogen and 49.1 gamma/ml (range 14-102) for Fe levels. In the older patients, the median value of the highest levels were 5.9 mg/l (range 0.6-28.30) for CRP, 12.12 mg/l (range 0.9-280) for SAA, 480 mg/dl (range 60-780) for fibrinogen and 47.1 gamma/ml (range 12-94) for Fe levels.


CONCLUSIONS
In the present study, acute-phase reactants were quantitatively similar in young and old patients. On the contrary, nutritional status, homocysteine, LDL and triglycerides are significantly higher in young patients than in old patients.
Mattioli
Anna Vittoria
AV
Department of Cardiology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via del pozzo, 71, 41100 Modena, Italy. mattioli.annavittoria@unimo.it
Bonetti
Lorenzo
L
Zennaro
Mauro
M
Bertoncelli
Piero
P
Mattioli
Giorgio
G
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D006710:Homocysteine; D007501:Iron