Glycated haemoglobin association with severity of thrombus burden in non-diabetic versus diabetic patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Objective: To determine and compare the relationship between glycated haemoglobin level on admission and the angiographic thrombus burden in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Karachi, from June 2018 to July 2019, and comprised patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Demographic details and self-reported duration of diabetes was recorded. The thrombus burden was assessed on angiography classifying 0 = no thrombus, 1 = possible thrombus, 2 = small thrombus, 3 = moderate thrombus, 4 = large thrombus, and 5 = total occlusion. The data was analysed using SPSS 21. Results: Of the 212 patients, 173(81.6%) were men, and 75(35.4%) had body mass index ≥30kg/m2. The overall mean age of the sample was 54.62-11.75 years. Known diabetic cases were 82(38.7%) and 20(24.4%) were insulin-dependent. Mean glycated haemoglobin level was 7.18-2.03% and 96(45.3%) patients had the critical value <6.5%. Pre-procedure thrombus score in 118(55.7%) patients was 3 and 4 and 57(26.9%) had total occlusion. A significant relationship between glycated haemoglobin level and thrombus score was found in the overall sample as well as in diabetic and non-diabetic groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: Increased glycated haemoglobin level was found to have a positive correlation with thrombus score in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients.