Effects of Nutritional Guidance on Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Retrospective Cohort Study

AIM: This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the impact of nutritionist-led dietary guidance on the prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: The cohort encompassed 446 consecutive patients with AMI in a single center who underwent emergency coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary interventions from September 1, 2015 to October 31, 2023. RESULTS: Based on defined caloric intake and macronutrient ratios, 54.7% of the patients received nutritional guidance during hospitalization. During a 39-month median follow-up, this study documented 24 (5.9%) and 6 (1.5%) cases of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively. Furthermore, among the components of the primary composite endpoint, 15 (3.7%), 17 (4.2%), and 20 (4.9%) cases of nonfatal stroke, nonfatal acute coronary syndrome, and hospitalizations for acute decompensated heart failure, respectively, were noted. Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated that patients without nutritional guidance showed significantly higher incidence rates of mortality and primary composite endpoints. Considering multiple variables, the multivariate Cox regression model identified nutritional guidance as a significant predictor for long-term mortality but not for primary composite endpoints. Patients receiving nutritional guidance exhibited significantly improved albumin and C-reactive protein levels, with a trend toward better survival rate. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that by addressing dietary factors influencing inflammation and lipid metabolism, structured nutritional guidance can enhance prognosis in patients with AMI. To delineate the dietary components most beneficial for patients with AMI, further research is warranted.