One-year follow-up of a population with angina pectoris. Factors influencing mortality and occurrence of cardiovascular events: Results of the ELAN study.

The ELAN (Etude longitudinale dans l'angor) study was carried out both to a cquire better knowledge of the occurrence of major cardiovascular events (m yocardial infarction, revascularization surgery, death) in patients followe d up for angina pectoris, and to determine the factors influencing such eve nts. A cohort of angina patients was formed in January 1997, and 3,284 pati ents were followed up by 488 French cardiologists during a one-year period. Of these 3,284 patients, 96 (29 parts per thousand) died; causes of death included underlying coronary heart disease in 31, sudden death in 8, other cardiac aetiologies in 35, and noncardiac causes in 22. Sixty-nine (21 part s per thousand) patients developped myocardial infarction, 240 (73 parts pe r thousand) underwent PTCA, and 119 (36 parts per thousand) underwent coron ary bypass surgery. Factors associated with an increased risk of death were age, diabetes melli tus, heart failure and angina type, mixed and rest angina being associated with poorer prognosis compared to exertional angina. Infarction risk increased with age and a history of previous infarction. Analysis of therapeutic-factors after adjustment for the above risk factors showed a beneficial effect of betablockers on both cardiovascular and all- cause mortality and of aspirin on all-cause mortality.