Echocardiographic assessment of the incidence of mechanical complications during the early phase of myocardial infarction in the reperfusion era: a French multicentre prospective registry.
BACKGROUND
Since the early reports on the incidence of mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) assessed by echocardiography published in the 1980s, the management of patients with AMI has changed considerably, in particular with the progressive development of early revascularisation.


METHODS
The aim of this multicentre study was to assess the incidence of mechanical complications of AMI in the reperfusion era. Nine-hundred and eight consecutive patients were included. Echocardiography was performed on admission and at discharge. Seventy-eight percent of patients were revascularised at the acute phase.


RESULTS
The following incidence rates of mechanical complications were observed: mitral regurgitation 28%, secondary to left ventricular (LV) remodelling (43%) or papillary muscle dysfunction (57%); pericardial effusion 6.6%, more frequent after anterior AMI and associated with a lower ejection fraction (EF); LV thrombus 2.4%, mainly after anterior AMI and associated with a lower EF (38+/-10% vs. 48+/-12%; p<0.001); early infarct expansion 4%; septal rupture 0.6%; and acute free wall rupture 0.8%. The following factors were independently associated with the occurrence of mechanical complications by multivariate logistic regression analysis: lack of early revascularisation (OR 3.48, 95%CI 1.36-8.95; p<0.001), LV-EF<50% (OR 1.95, 95%CI 1.42-2.67; p<0.001), Killip class>II (OR 1.91, 95%CI 1.27-2.87; p<0.002) and age > or =70 years (OR 1.42, 95%CI 1.03-1.97; p<0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates the favourable prognostic influence of early revascularisation as shown by the low incidence of mechanical complications after AMI, and underlines the persistent relationship between the development of these complications and depressed LV function.
Gueret
P
P
Département de cardiologie, Hôpital Henri Mondor (AP-HP), Créteil, France. pascal.gueret@hmn.aphp.fr
Khalife
K
K
Jobic
Y
Y
Fillipi
E
E
Isaaz
K
K
Tassan-Mangina
S
S
Baixas
C
C
Motreff
P
P
Meune
C
C
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D015425:Myocardial Reperfusion / Q000379:methods; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010210:Papillary Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012107:Research Design; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling; D018658:Ventricular Septal Rupture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control