The prognostic value of MELD-XI in elderly patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: an observational study

BACKGROUND: The model for end-stage liver disease excluding international normalized ratio (MELD-XI) is a simple score for risk assessment. However, the prognostic role of MELD-XI and its additional value to current risk assessment in elderly patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is uncertain. METHODS: In all, 1029 elderly patients with STEMI undergoing PCI were consecutively included and classified into three groups according to the TIMI risk score: low-risk (≤ 3, n = 251); moderate-risk (4–6, n = 509); and high-risk (≥ 7, n = 269) groups. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors for adverse events. RESULTS: The overall in-hospital mortality was 5.3% and was significantly higher in the high-risk group (1.2% vs. 3.3% vs. 13.0%, p < 0.001). The optimal cut-off of the TIMI risk score and MELD-XI for in-hospital death was 7 and 13, respectively. MELD-XI was associated with in-hospital (adjusted odds ratio = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.04–1.14, p = 0.001) and one-year (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.01–1.08, p = 0.005) mortality independently of the TIMI risk score. Combining TIMI risk score and MELD-XI exhibited better predictive power for in-hospital death than TIMI risk score (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.810 vs. 0.753, p = 0.008) or MELD-XI alone (AUC = 0.810 vs. 0.750, p = 0.018). Patients with TIMI risk score ≥ 7 and MELD-XI ≥ 13 had the worst prognosis. CONCLUSION: MELD-XI could be considered as a risk-stratified tool for elderly patients with STEMI undergoing PCI. It had an additive prognostic value to TIMI risk score.