title: Clinical scores and patient risk stratification in non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Risk stratification of patients with unstable angina or non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI) is problematic given the heterogeneous presentation of the condition. This study was undertaken to compare, in UA/NSTEMI patients, the prognostic value of two clinical risk scores (RS) (i.e. Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) and physician's risk assessment (PRA)) and to assess whether serum biomarkers can increase the prognostic accuracy of these RS.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively assessed 610 consecutive UA/NSTEMI patients, 217 (36%) UA and 393 (64%) NSTEMI. In all patients RS, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, CD40 ligand, IL6, IL10, IL18, E-selectin, P-selectin, white blood cell count, neopterin, myeloperoxidase, fibrinogen and NT proBNP were assessed at study entry. The primary study endpoint was death and non-fatal MI at 30 and 360 days of follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 1 year, 54 patients (8.9%) had reached the primary study endpoint (26 suffered a cardiac death (4.3%) and 34 (5.6%) a non-fatal MI). For both RS, the study endpoint occurred more commonly in patients at a "higher risk" compared to those classified as being at a "lower risk". Moreover, TIMI and PRA RS had similar discriminatory accuracy. TIMI RS, however, was a better predictor of events than PRA at both 30- and 360-day follow-up. The inflammatory biomarkers assessed in the study did not improve significantly the predictive value of RS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests both that TIMI RS is a better marker of risk than PRA RS and inflammatory biomarkers do not increase the predictive value of these clinical risk scores.
authors.affiliation: Investigation Unit Don Benito-Villanueva, Fundesalud-Hospital Don Benito-Villanueva, Plaza de Conquistadores 49, Villanueva de la Serena, Badajoz, Spain. polonibo@gmail.com
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fernández-Bergés
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bertomeu-Gonzalez
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cruz-Fernandez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arroyo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Barriales Álvarez
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Carrasco Sánchez
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dalli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castro Beiras
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kaski
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers