Intermedin as a prognostic factor for major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction

• Plasma intermedin levels are elevated in acute myocardial infarction.
• Intermedin is associated with poor prognosis.
• Intermedin has high prognostic predictive value.

Intermedin functions systemically as a potent vasodilator and its plasma levels have been shown to be elevated in patients with acute myocardial infarction. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of plasma intermedin level in the patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction. Plasma intermedin concentrations of 128 patients and 128 healthy controls were determined using a radioimmunoassay. Patients were followed up for 6 months for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) consisting of cardiovascular mortality, reinfarction, hospitalization for decompensated heart failure, and lift-threatening arrhythmia. The association of plasma intermedin levels with MACE was investigated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Plasma intermedin levels were significantly higher in patients than in healthy subjects. Elevated plasma level of intermedin was identified as an independent predictor of MACE. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that plasma intermedin levels had high predictive value for MACE. Moreover, its predictive value was similar to Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events scores’ based on area under curve. Meantime, it obviously improved Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events scores’ predictive value in a combined logistic-regression model. In multivariate Cox's proportional hazard analysis, plasma intermedin level emerged as an independent predictor of MACE-free survival. Thus, our results suggest that high plasma intermedin level is associated with poor outcomes of patients and may be a useful prognostic biomarker in ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction.