Background

The characteristics, therapies, and outcomes of patients presenting with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, found to have significant coronary artery disease on coronary angiography, and managed without revascularization ("nonrevascularized patients") have not been evaluated previously in a large-scale registry.

Methods

We examined data on 13,872 non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction nonrevascularized patients who were captured by the Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network registry. Patients were divided according to baseline renal function in 4 groups: no chronic kidney disease (CKD) and CKD stages 3, 4, and 5.

Results

The in-hospital mortality of nonrevascularized patients was 3.7%, whereas their in-hospital major bleeding rate was 10.8%. Overall, 44.2% (n = 6,132) of nonrevascularized patients had CKD. Compared with patients with normal renal function, nonrevascularized patients with CKD had significantly more history of myocardial infarction, heart failure, more 3-vessel coronary artery disease, and received fewer antithrombotic therapies. In addition, they had significantly higher rates of in-hospital mortality and major bleeding; CKD stage 4 was associated with the highest risk of adverse events. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratios of in-hospital mortality for CKD stages 3, 4, and 5 relative to no CKD were 1.5, 2.5, and 2.2, respectively (global P < .0001), and the analogous adjusted odds ratios of major bleeding were 1.5, 2.5, and 1.8 (global P < .0001).

Conclusion

Nonrevascularized patients have a high in-hospital mortality. Nonrevascularized patients with CKD have more comorbidities than patients without CKD and less frequently receive guideline-recommended therapies. Chronic kidney disease is strongly associated with in-hospital mortality and bleeding.