title: Prognostic value of plasma chromogranin A levels in patients with complicated myocardial infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chromogranin A is widely distributed throughout the neuroendocrine system and may, because of its long in vivo and in vitro half-life, be an attractive candidate for assessment of overall neuroendocrine activity. Recently, increased plasma levels of chromogranin A have been found in patients with chronic heart failure and related to the severity of symptoms and prognosis. The objective of the current study was to assess the prognostic value of chromogranin A levels after complicated myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the association between plasma chromogranin A levels obtained in the hospitalization phase and time to hospitalization for heart failure or death in 217 patients with complicated myocardial infarction included in the OPTIMAAL trial.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During a median follow-up time of 1017 days, there were 44 first events (30 deaths and 14 hospitalizations for congestive heart failure). Logarithmically transformed chromogranin A (P < .001) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (P = .001), patient age (P < .001), estimated creatinine clearance (P < .001), a history of myocardial infarction or angina (P = .001), and diabetes mellitus (P = .011), using univariable Cox proportional hazards regression, were significantly associated with outcome, whereas sex, randomization status, history of hypertension, C-reactive protein, and the presence of inhospital heart failure were not. In a multivariable model, logarithmically transformed chromogranin A (P = .002), patient age (P < .0001), history of diabetes (P = .004), and male sex (P = .021) were independently predictive of outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chromogranin A is a strong and independent prognostic indicator in patients with complicated myocardial infarction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.
authors.forename: Mette Elise
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Estensen
authors.forename: Aina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hognestad
authors.forename: Unni
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Syversen
authors.forename: Iain
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Squire
authors.forename: Leong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kjekshus
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dickstein
authors.forename: Torbjørn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Omland
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D053379:Chromogranin A