Young Adults with Acute Coronary Syndrome Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Insights from the Houston Methodist Young ACS-PCI Registry

Background Limited data exist on the risk profile and prognosis of young patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study sheds light on the burden of cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes in this population. Methods The Houston Methodist Young ACS-PCI registry is a retrospective analysis of young adults (18 to 50 years) undergoing PCI for ACS between 2010 and 2022. Outcomes of interest were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE: all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), ischemic stroke) at one year. Results Among 629 patients (median age, 46 years, 23.5 % women, and 65.3 % White adults), 69.2 % had Non-ST-Segment Elevation MI. A total of 22.7 % had prior MI, 26.2 % prior PCI, and 9.2 % had prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The prevalence of active smoking, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes was 69.4 %, 82.2 %, 80.4 %, and 39.6 %, respectively. Age-adjusted diabetes rates increased over time, while dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity rates remained unchanged. The femoral artery was the most common arterial access (85.2 %), 72.7 % had one vessel disease, 44.3 % had the left anterior descending artery as the culprit vessel, and 78.5 % of patients received one stent. At a median of 3.8 years, all-cause mortality was 28 deaths per 1000 person-years. At one year, 11.4 % experienced MACE; racial and ethnic minority (Black, Hispanic, and Others), dialysis, prior MI, and stent diameter were independent predictors of MACE. Conclusions The study highlights a notable burden of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular outcomes in young adults with ACS undergoing PCI, underscoring the need for strategies to enhance risk assessment and guide interventions among young adults.