Acute myocardial infarction in young patients: nutritional status and biochemical factors.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to establish whether nutritional status and biochemical factors, C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA) protein, serum iron (Fe) and fibrinogen at admission were different in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) at a young age (<40 years) vs. those with AMI at an older age (>60 years). We also investigated whether during the stay in the hospital, the increase in acute-phase reactants was different in young vs. older subjects, and if dyslipidemic aspects were different between the two groups. METHODS: The study population consisted of 40 patients, all males with a mean age of 36.7+/-1.16 years, admitted to our facility with AMI. The control group included 40 patients, all males, mean age of 66.3+/-4.24 years, with AMI. CRP, SAA, Fe and fibrinogen were determined at admission to the hospital and daily for 7 days in the two groups of patients. RESULTS: In young patients the median value of the highest levels were 6.2 mg/l (range 0.7-27.30) for CRP, 13.22 mg/l (range 0.7-130) for SAA, 420 mg/dl (range 76-840) for fibrinogen and 49.1 gamma/ml (range 14-102) for Fe levels. In the older patients, the median value of the highest levels were 5.9 mg/l (range 0.6-28.30) for CRP, 12.12 mg/l (range 0.9-280) for SAA, 480 mg/dl (range 60-780) for fibrinogen and 47.1 gamma/ml (range 12-94) for Fe levels. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, acute-phase reactants were quantitatively similar in young and old patients. On the contrary, nutritional status, homocysteine, LDL and triglycerides are significantly higher in young patients than in old patients.