Data were extracted from medical records and observation sheets of the Observatoire des Infarctus de Côte d'Or (RICO). The design and methods of RICO, a French regional survey for acute MI, have been detailed previously.
19 The following data were collected: age, sex, previous high blood pressure, previous diabetes, obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m
2), treated hypercholesterolemia, family history of coronary heart disease (CHD), current smoking. Cardiovascular history, a history of chronic kidney failure, vasoconstrictive drug use, hemodynamic features, and biologic parameters (creatinine, blood glucose, HbA1c, troponin, and logBNP [brain natriuretic peptide]) were also recorded. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was measured by ultrasonography within the 24 hours following admission by an experienced operator, according to Simpson's biplane method of disks. From the above data, cardiovascular risk scores defined by the American Heart Association (AHA risk score) for a moderate-risk population were calculated. The AHA risk score was chosen as an indicator of the patients' cardiovascular risk profile because it summarizes the cardiovascular risk factors and treatments, and is associated with the onset of cardiovascular disease in the general population.
20 The AHA risk score includes age, sex, the ethnic origin, the history of arterial hypertension and diabetes, active smoking, systolic, and diastolic arterial pressure and levels of total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol.
20 The anatomic SYNTAX score, a risk stratification score for coronary lesions (length, bifurcation, diffuse disease, calcifications, thrombus, total occlusion) was determined for all of the patients who underwent coronarography.
21 We also calculated the Global Registry of Acute Cardiac Events score (GRACE) at admission to evaluate the ischemic risk for each patient and his/her prognosis by calculating in-hospital and 6-month mortality.
22 Finally, we evaluated the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death and next event within 2 years follow-up) with the Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) score.
23 GRACE and REACH scores are prognostic and cardiovascular risk status stratification methods. They are evaluated by means of cardiovascular history, risk factors, treatment, and demographic data (see
Supplementary Table for GRACE and REACH scores).