Prospective observational study of acute coronary syndromes in China: practice patterns and outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the investigation and management of patients admitted to hospitals in China with suspected acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and to identify potential areas for improvement in practice.


METHODS
A multicentre prospective survey of sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, clinical features, in-hospital investigations, treatment practices and major events among patients with suspected ACS.


METHODS
Large urban public hospitals.


METHODS
Consecutive patients admitted to in-patient facilities with a diagnosis of suspected acute myocardial infarction (MI) or unstable angina pectoris.


METHODS
Myocardial infarction/re-infarction, heart failure, death.


RESULTS
Between September 2004 and May 2005, data were collected prospectively from 2973 patients admitted to 51 hospitals in 18 provinces of China. An initial diagnosis of ST elevation MI, non-ST elevation MI and unstable angina was made in 43%, 11% and 46% of patients, respectively. Diagnosis was inconsistent with objective measures in up to 20% of cases. At both tertiary and non-tertiary centres, there was little evidence that clinical risk stratification was used to determine the intensity of investigation and management. The mortality rate during hospitalisation was 5% overall and similar in tertiary and non-tertiary centres, but reported in-hospital re-infarction rates (8%) and heart failure rates (16%) were substantially higher at non-tertiary centres.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has identified a number of areas in the management of ACS patients, including diagnosis and risk stratification, which deviate from current guidelines. These findings will help inform the introduction of widely used quality improvement initiatives such as clinical pathways.
Gao
R
R
FuWai Heart Hospital, Beijing, China.
Patel
A
A
Gao
W
W
Hu
D
D
Huang
D
D
Kong
L
L
Qi
W
W
Wu
Y
Y
Yang
Y
Y
Harris
P
P
Algert
C
C
Groenestein
P
P
Turnbull
F
F
D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome