Tag Archives: meta-analysis

Introduction Over the past two decades, many randomised-controlled trials (RCTs) have compared the efficacy of an early invasive strategy (IS) against a delayed IS in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). However, uncertainty about the optimum timing of IS remains. The largest meta-analysis to investigate timing of invasive treatment included 17 RCTs (>10,000 patients) and was published in 2022.1 It did not show a reduction in all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), repeat revascularisation or admission with heart failure (HF) with early IS, but recurrent ischaemia and length of stay were reduc

Introduction Following observations that smokers experience decreased mortality following acute myocardial infarction (acute MI [AMI]) in comparison with non-smokers,1 the term ‘smoker’s paradox’ was introduced into scientific discourse more than 25 years ago.2 The ‘smoker’s paradox’ following various reperfusion strategies, however, is argued not to be due to any benefit from smoking itself but simply due to smokers being likely to undergo such procedures at a much younger age, and, hence, having, on average, lower comorbidity. In a recent systematic review (with a search by September 2010)2 of 17 studies presenting adjusted tota