Incidence of Major Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome treated with dual antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy-Data from the Registry.

Abstract

Aim of the study: To investigate the incidence, predictors and prognosis of gastrointestinal bleeding in patients treated for acute coronary syndrome. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study with data gathered from the registry. We analyzed different variables of STEMI, NSTEMI and unstable angina treated patients: clinical, angiographic, treatment type, medications use, in-hospital outcome. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding was defined as hematemesis and/or melena with Hgb reduction, requiring cessation of antiplatelet or anti-coagulant therapy and administration of erythrocyte transfusion and, if needed, upper GIT endoscopy. Statistical Analysis: Descriptive, comparative, univariate and multivariate linear and/or binary logistic regression analysis. Statistical significance was determined at a 0,05 level. Results: 874 patients (66,6% males and 33,4% females, mean age 65,7 ± 11,04 y) were analyzed. 75,4% of the patients had STE-MI, 12.5% had NSTEMI and 12,1% APNS. The predominant risk factors were: HTA (59.9%), smoking (56,9%), overweight/obesity (66,7%) and DM (27,8%). 11% had previous MI, 11,3% revascularization, 5,3% CVI and 5% had previous GIT symptomatology. Mean eGFR was 93 ml/min, although 16,4% of the patients had eGFR < 60ml/min. Preexisting anemia was registered in 9,7%. 93,6% of STEMI, and 91,6% of NSTEMI/APNS patients received PCI. Regarding the patients medications, 98,4% were treated with ASA, 70% with 600 mg loading dose Clopidogrel, 90,4% with UFH and 18% received H 2 blockers or PPI. For the in-hospital morbidity, 5,6% of the patients had acute heart failure, 2,8% A-V block, 2,6% acute renal failure, 5,4% supraventricular arrhythmias, 6,4% ventricular arrhythmias, 0,8% in-stent thrombosis, and 0,3% of the patients had ischemic CVI. The most frequent bleeding complications were: 9,2% at the vascular access site, 1,5% GI bleedings and 1,6% UG bleedings. Hospital mortality was 6,8%, and the death Hazard Ratio among patients with GIB was 9,34 (CI 2,95-29,5). Univariate predictors of GIB were: age (beta ,085), BMI (beta-,073), eGFR < 60ml/min (beta-,081), Crusade bleeding risk score (beta ,141), Hgb (beta-,225), urea (beta ,386), old MI (OR 3,715), GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors (OR 9,267), H2/PPI (OR 10,840), anemia (OR 11,712), eGFR < 60 ml/min (OR 6,390), ARF (OR 7645), and supraventricular arrhythmias (OR 5,440). Previous MI (p = 0,010), use of GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors (p=0,031); H2 or PPI (p = 0,000); eGFR < 60 ml/min (p = 0,050); supraventricular arrhythmias (p = 0,002), and anemia prior ACS (p = 0,042) were identified as independent predictors. Conclusion: GIB is one of the most frequent bleeding complications in patients treated for acute coronary syndrome, associated with a significant in-hospital mortality risk.