Clinical and angiographic profiles and six months outcomes of smokers with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty

BACKGROUND: Outcomes of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) in smokers are expected to be better than non-smokers as for patients of acute STEMI with or without fibrinolytic therapy. OBJECTIVES: This comparative study was designed to evaluate the outcomes of primary PCI in patients with acute STEMI in smokers and non-smokers. Clinical and angiographic profile of the two groups was also compared. METHODS: Over duration of two year, a total of 150 consecutive patients of acute STEMI eligible for primary PCI were enrolled and constituted the two groups [Smokers (n=90), Non-smokers (n=60)] of the study population. There was no difference in procedure in two groups. RESULTS: In the present study of acute STEMI, current smokers were about a decade younger than non-smokers (p value=0.0002), majority were male (98.9% vs 56.6%) were male with a higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus (61.67% vs 32.28% and 46.67% vs 14.44%, p=0.001) respectively. Smokers tended to have higher thrombus burden (p=0.06) but less multi vessel disease (p=0.028). Thirty day and six month mortality was non-significantly higher in smokers 4.66% vs 1.33% (p=0.261) and 5.33% vs 2.66% (p=NS) respectively. Rate of quitting smoking among smokers was 80.90% at 6 months. CONCLUSION: The study documents that smokers with acute STEMI have similar outcomes as compared to non smokers with higher thrombus burden and lesser non culprit artery involvement. Smokers present at much younger age emphasizing the role of smoking cessation for prevention of myocardial infarction.