title: Rationale, Design, and Baseline Characteristics of the EPICOR Asia Study (Long-tErm follow-uP of antithrombotic management patterns In Acute CORonary Syndrome patients in Asia).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In-hospital and postdischarge mortality for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) vary across Asia and remain generally poorer than globally. The relationship between real-life antithrombotic management patterns (AMPs) and ACS-related outcomes in Asia is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  EPICOR Asia (Long-tErm follow-uP of antithrombotic management patterns In acute CORonary syndrome patients in Asia) (NCT01361386) is a prospective, multinational, observational study of patients discharged after hospitalization for an ACS, with 2-year follow-up. The aim is to describe short- and long-term (up to 2 years post-index event) AMPs in patients hospitalized for ACS and to record clinical outcomes, healthcare resource use, and self-reported health status. Pre- and in-hospital management, AMPs, and associated outcomes, with particular focus on ischemic and bleeding events, will be recorded during the 2-year follow up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between June 2011 and May 2012, 13 005 patients were enrolled. From these, 12 922 patients surviving an ACS (6616 with STEMI, 2570 with NSTEMI, and 3736 with UA) were eligible for inclusion from 219 hospitals across 8 countries and regions in Asia: China (n = 8214), Hong Kong (n = 177), India (n = 2468), Malaysia (n = 100), Singapore (n = 93), South Korea (n = 705), Thailand (n = 957), and Vietnam (n = 208).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EPICOR Asia will provide information regarding clinical management and AMPs for ACS patients in Asia. Impact of AMPs on clinical outcomes, healthcare resource use, and self-reported health status both during hospitalization and up to 2 years after discharge will also be described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Stephen W-L
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Jitendra P S
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sawhney
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo-Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Rungroj
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krittayaphong
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Vo T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Nhan
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Science Research Centre, St. George's University of London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Angeles
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alonso-Garcia
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Shenyang Northern Hospital, Shenyang, China.
authors.forename: Ya Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Junbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, National Heart Centre Singapore, Singapore and Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore.
authors.forename: Chee Tang
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Sarawak General Hospital, Kuching, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Tiong K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.affiliation: Health Economics Program, The George Institute for Global Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.affiliation: Clinical Science Division, AstraZeneca, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yohji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.affiliation: Observational Research Centre, Global Medical Affairs, AstraZeneca, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pocock
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors