Interregional differences in the clinical, biological and electrical characteristics of first acute coronary events in France: results from the MONICA registries

Background: In France, there is a large north-to-south, decreasing gradient in case fatality rates of hospitalized patients for an acute coronary event. This gradient may be explained by differences in the presenting patients’ clinical, biological and electrocardiographic characteristics.Goal: To compare the characteristics of patients hospitalized for an acute episode of coronary insufficiency in three regions of France with contrasting fatality rates.Methods: We assessed all men and women (aged 35–74 years) covered by the MONICA registries in three geographical areas (north, east and south-west France) and hospitalized in 2006 for a first acute coronary event. The symptoms, electrocardiogram features, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and troponin levels were systematically transcribed from medical files. Vital status was followed up for one year.Results: Fatality rates at 28 days and 1 year were higher in the north (7% and 12%, respectively) than in the east (5% and 7%) and in the south-west (2...