Uric Acid to Albumin Ratio as a Predictive Marker for Intracoronary Thrombus Severity in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)

Background: This study assessed the association between a novel inflammatory marker, uric acid (UA)-to-albumin ratio (UAR), and preprocedural intracoronary artery thrombus (ICAT) in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Material/Methods: A total of 171 STEMI patients treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention between February and December 2023 were evaluated prospectively in this cross-sectional study. The patients were stratified into 2 groups as low (grades 1 to 3) and high-(ICAT) groups (grades 4 and 5). To determine the independent predictors of lower and higher ICAT, multivariate regression analysis was performed. Results: C-reactive protein (CRP), UA, and UAR were significantly higher in the high ICAT group (1.11 (0.3-2.8) vs 0.80 (0.10-2.8), P =0.037; 5.4 (3.5-7.2) vs 4.9 (3.4-5.6), P <0.001; 1.78 (0.82-3) vs 1.48 (0.77-2.57), P <0.001, respectively). However, albumin levels were similar between groups (3.1 (2.1-4.4) vs 3.3 (2.1-4.4), P =0.243). Higher UAR (OR: 3.95% CI: 1.23-12.7, P =0.021), lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (OR=0.802; 95% CI 0.7537-0.872; P <0.001), longer pain-wire crossing time (OR=1; 95% CI: 1-1.02; P <0.001), and diabetes mellitus (OR=0.181; 95% CI 0.46-0.7; P <0.001) were independent predictors of ICAT. Conclusions: UAR, a marker of inflammation, is an independent predictor of ICAT in patients with STEMI.