Screening for Newly Diagnosed Diabetes in Young Adults Hospitalized with Acute Myocardial Infarction-Results from The VIRGO (Variation in Recovery Role of Gender on Outcomes of Young Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients) Study

Newly diagnosed diabetes (NDD) is common among adults aged 18 to 55 years old diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) according to the findings of a new study presented at the ACC.20 World Congress of Cardiology.

Study evaluated 3,501 patients from the Variation in Recovery Role of Gender on Outcomes of Young Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients (VIRGO) study. The population of interest were all young adults between the ages of 18-55 admitted with AMI, but without established diabetes. Newly diagnosed dibetes was defined as: baseline or one-month HbA1c ≥6.5%; discharge diabetes diagnosis; or diabetes medication initiation within one month. The researchers developed linear mixed-effects regression models to assess the correlations between NDD and health status (at one month and 12 months), mortality, and in-hospital complications.

According to the results of the study, 14.5% of patients met the NDD criteria. Among 508 NDD patients, almost 95% had HbA1c ≥6.5%, almost 7% received discharge diagnosis and approximately 3% were initiated pharmacological treatment within one-month post-AMI. The researchers observed that among AMI patients without established diabetes, NDD was more common in non-White, obese, financially stressed patients. Moreover, juxtaposed with with established diabetes, NDD was independently associated with better angina-specific health status and general quality of life. The researchers found no significant differences in unadjusted in-hospital complication rates between patients with NDD and those without diabetes. NDD patients had lower unadjusted 1-year mortality rates than patients without diabetes (0.9% vs. 1.6%) or those with established diabetes (0.9% vs. 3.6%).

Ding Q. Screening for Newly Diagnosed Diabetes in Young Adults Hospitalized with Acute Myocardial Infarction-Results from The Virgo (Variation in Recovery Role of Gender on Outcomes of Young Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients) Study. Presented at the ACC.20 World Congress of Cardiology; March 28-30, Chicago, IL.