FREQUENCY OF IN-HOSPITAL MORTALITY IN PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH STEMI AND CONCURRENT RIGHT BUNDLE BRANCH BLOCK

Abstract

Objective: To examine the in-hospital mortality rates of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction patients with and without right bundle branch block.

Methods: This cross-sectional study, aimed to investigate in-hospital mortality among individuals aged ≥18 suffering from STEMI without and with RBBB diagnosed based on specific ECG criteria. Exclusions included hemodynamic instability or documented COVID-19. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained. Data on demographics, anthropometrics, and in-hospital mortality was obtained from 209 patients via a non-probability consecutive sampling technique and analyzed using IBM-SPSS v.26, employing appropriate statistical tests.

Results: In our study (n = 209), males comprised 123 (58.9%), with 148 (70.8%) aged 45 years and older. Notably, 127 (68.8%) fell within the 30-34.99 kg/m2 BMI range. The mean age was 51.27 ± 7.02 years, reflecting a relatively young cohort. In-hospital mortality stood at 22 (10.5%). A statistically significant association (p<0.001) of mortality was noted with STEMI and concurrent RBBB as well as higher BMI. Also, a significant association (p<0.001) was observed between higher BMI and mortality (survivors mean BMI = 32.57 ± 3.31 kg/m2) and non-survivors mean BMI = 35.88 ± 2.96 kg/m2), as well as BMI categories and mortality, especially in patients suffering from STEMI.

Conclusion: RBBB significantly exacerbates the clinical severity and in-hospital mortality in patients with STEMI, particularly among a younger demographic typically underrepresented in such studies. Therefore, demographic characteristics such as age and BMI should be considered when assessing risk and tailoring treatment strategies for STEMI patients, especially those with concurrent RBBB.