The Utility of Echocardiography for Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Retrospective Study

Objective: The objectives were to assess factors associated with a higher likelihood of predicting acute coronary atherothrombosis (ACA) in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), evaluate the impact of adding echocardiographic data, and develop an algorithm that would reduce overutilization of emergent angiography. Methods: Data were retrospectively analyzed on a patient cohort presenting to an emergency department of an urban community hospital with NSTEMI from October 1, 2015, to July 31, 2018. The inclusion criterion was any adult patient with a first-time, primary diagnosis of NSTEMI without high-risk features. The main outcome variables were the presence of ACA on angiography. Results: Seventy-three patients with NSTEMI were included in this study. Logistic regression analysis identified the following independent variables useful for predicting ACA: age, wall motion abnormality on echo, and levels of low-density lipoprotein. The model’s overall fit was highly significant ( P = .0012). Conclusion: An integrative approach was demonstrated for the management of patients with NSTEMI presenting to the hospital. Although the positive predictive value of echo in predicting ACA was limited, when combined with demographic attributes and risk factors, it proved to be successful in determining the need for angiography in patients with NSTEMI.