Abstract:Objective To evaluate the predictors of stress hyperglycemia in patients with ST segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) and the effect of stress hyperglycemia on the long-term prognosis of these patients. Methods A total of 92 patients who had no diabetes but sufferred from STEMI for the first time admitted in our hospital from August 2009 to April 2010 were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into stress hyperglycemia group (n=41) and normal blood glucose group (n=51) according to the results of fasting blood glucose or random blood glucose after admission. The patients were followed up for 1.5 years on average. Results The prevalence of stress hyperglycemia was 44.6% (41/92). Logistic regression analysis indicated that female (OR=8.952, 95% CI=1.579 to 50.757, P=0.013), higher Killip class (OR=3.530, 95% CI=1.010 to 12.336, P=0.048), and higher creatine kinase (CK)-MB (OR=9.408, 95%CI=2.782 to 31.818, P<0.001) were the independent predictors of stress hyperglycemia. Cox proportional hazard regression model presented that stress hyperglycemia was an independent predictor for 1 to 2 years mortality (RR=1.532, 95% CI=1.004 to 2.337, P=0.048). The long-term mortality risk of patients with hypertriglyceridemia was 1.557 times higher than those with normal triglycerides (P=0.041). Conclusion Female, higher Killip class, and higher CK-MB are the independent predictors for stress hyperglycemia after STEMI. Stress hyperglycemia is an independent predictor and risk factor for long-term unfavorable prognosis in STEMI patients. Hypertriglyceridemia may increase the risk of death in these patients.