title: Initial serum glucose level as a prognostic factor in the first acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assess the prognostic role of initial glucose levels in patients with a first acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department (ED).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a 3-year retrospective cohort study. Patients with a first acute myocardial infarction were recruited from the ED of a tertiary hospital from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2003. Initial glucose levels in the ED were stratified into 3 levels (normal < 140 mg/dL; intermediate 140 to 200 mg/dL; and high > or = 200 mg/dL). Logistic and Cox regression models were applied to estimate the 1-month short-term and 1-year long-term adverse prognoses, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 198 eligible subjects (159 men and 39 women; mean age 63.1+/-14.2 years) were recruited. The estimated survival curves among the 3 initial glucose levels were significantly different (P=.0002). After adjustment for sex, age, diabetic status, reperfusion therapy, and infarct subtype, the adjusted odds ratio for short-term prognosis progressed with higher levels when compared with the normal level (intermediate level: odds ratio 3.87; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.71 to 8.78; high level: odds ratio 5.16; 95% CI 1.97 to 13.51). High initial glucose level was an important risk factor for long-term adverse prognosis (hazard ratio 3.08; 95% CI 1.59 to 5.98).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high initial glucose level in the ED is an important and independent predictor of short- and long-term adverse prognoses in patients with first acute myocardial infarction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chin-Wang
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Hsiu Hsi
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wayne H-H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Sheu
authors.forename: Shi-Jye
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Ying-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Chin-Pyng
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Kuo-Liong
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Chien
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose