title: In-hospital mortality following acute myocardial infarction in Kosovo: a single center study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Randomized trials have demonstrated that primary angioplasty is more effective than intravenous thrombolysis in reducing mortality and morbidity in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The aim of this study was to assess the in-hospital mortality of patients with AMI admitted to the only tertiary care center in Kosovo, where coronary percutaneous intervention procedures are unavailable. We also assessed the impact of age and gender on in-hospital mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients with the diagnosis of AMI, admitted in our institution between 1999 and 2007, were included in this retrospective study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 2848 patients (mean age 61+/-11.3 years, 73.4% males) admitted with AMI, 292 (10.25%) patients died during in-hospital stay. The overall in-hospital mortality was 12.3% for women and 9.5% for men (P<.05). Women were significantly older than men (64.2+/-11 years vs 59.7+/-11.8 years, P<.05). Mean length of stay was 12.0+/-94 for women and 10.7+/-7.6 for men. From 1999 to 2007 there was an increase in the age of patients with AMI but the mortality rate remained stable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to developed countries, patients with AMI in Kosovo present at an earlier age but have a higher mortality rate. Women with AMI had a significantly higher in-hospital mortality rate than men. The lack of percutaneous coronary intervention procedures in AMI patients may have contributed to the high in-hospital mortality in our population.
authors.affiliation: Second Division of Cardiology, Internal Medicine Clinic, University Cinical Centre of Kosova and the Medical Faculty, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo. ganibajraktari@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Gani
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bajraktari
authors.forename: Kimete
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thaqi
authors.forename: Shqipe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pacolli
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gjoka
authors.forename: Nehat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rexhepaj
authors.forename: Irfan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Daullxhiu
authors.forename: Xhevahire
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sylejmani
authors.forename: Shpend
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elezi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D015022:Yugoslavia