Temporal Trends in the Treatment and Outcomes of Patients With Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Poland from 2004–2010 (from the Polish Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes)

The aim of this work was to analyze temporal trends in clinical presentation, treatment methods, and outcomes of patients in Poland with non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) from 2004 to 2010. A total of 90,153 patients with NSTEMI enrolled in the Polish Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes (PL-ACS) from 2004 to 2010 were analyzed. The main outcome measure was all-cause mortality after 12 months, identified from official mortality records. The percentage of admissions for NSTEMI among all acute coronary syndromes increased from 24% in 2004 to 38% in 2010 (p <0.0001). From 2004 to 2010, the percentage of invasive treatment for NSTEMI increased significantly, almost threefold, to 83% (p <0.0001). The frequency of recurrent myocardial infarction and stroke during hospitalization decreased significantly over the years, while the frequency of major bleeding increased. Twelve-month mortality decreased significantly throughout the time period, from 19.1% to 14.5%, but was stable in patients treated invasively and slightly higher in the last years in patients treated noninvasively. The invasive treatment of NSTEMI (relative risk 0.62, 95% confidence interval 0.57 to 0.67, p <0.0001), together with the pharmacotherapy recommended by the guidelines, had a significant impact on reducing 12-month mortality in a multifactor analysis. In conclusion, the distinct improvement in the short- and long-term prognoses of patients with NSTEMI may be in part the result of the popularization of invasive treatment and the optimization of pharmacotherapy.