History of allergy is a predictor of adverse events in unstable angina treated with coronary angioplasty.

BACKGROUND The aim was to investigate prognostic relevance of history of allergy in subjects with unstable angina treated with coronary angioplasty. METHODS Fifty-seven consecutive patients with unstable angina who underwent coronary angioplasty were enrolled in the study and were divided into two groups: those with a history of allergy (Group A, N = 15); and controls (Group C, N =42). Major adverse cardiac events were recorded over a six-month follow-up period. Patients with primary or unsuccessful angioplasty and patients treated with drug eluting stent were excluded from the study. RESULTS Group A patients (history of allergy) showed a 46.67% incidence of major adverse cardiac events at six-month follow-up (vs. 9.52% Group C, p < 0.01): results remained significant even in a multiple Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio 7.17, 95% CI 1.71-29.98, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION History of allergy is an independent predictor of major adverse cardiac events after coronary angioplasty in a six-month follow-up period in unstable angina.