Time of admission, quality of PCI care, and outcome of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Objective: Our study aimed to analyse the hospital mortality of patients admitted in- and off-regular working hours with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) within the special logistical setting of the urban area of the city of Berlin.

Background: There is a debate whether patients with acute myocardial infarction admitted to hospital outside regular working hours experience higher mortality rates than those admitted within regular working hours.

Methods: This study analyses data from the Berlin Myocardial Infarction Registry and comprises 2,131 patients with STEMI and treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in 2004-2007.