Skip to main content
Advertisement
Browse Subject Areas
?

Click through the PLOS taxonomy to find articles in your field.

For more information about PLOS Subject Areas, click here.

  • Loading metrics

Eosinophil count trajectories are associated with the prognosis of acute myocardial infarction patients: Insights from ICU data analysis

  • Wen-Chao Zhang ,

    Contributed equally to this work with: Wen-Chao Zhang, Wen-Liang Shuai, Xiao-Qing Huang

    Roles Funding acquisition, Project administration, Software, Validation

    Affiliation Department of Critical Care Medicine, Changxing People’s Hospital, Huzhou, China

  • Wen-Liang Shuai ,

    Contributed equally to this work with: Wen-Chao Zhang, Wen-Liang Shuai, Xiao-Qing Huang

    Roles Data curation, Project administration, Software, Supervision, Writing – original draft

    Affiliation Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China

  • Xiao-Qing Huang ,

    Contributed equally to this work with: Wen-Chao Zhang, Wen-Liang Shuai, Xiao-Qing Huang

    Roles Formal analysis, Methodology, Project administration

    Affiliation Department of Critical Care Medicine, Changxing People’s Hospital, Huzhou, China

  • Jin-Quan Dai,

    Roles Funding acquisition, Methodology

    Affiliation Department of Critical Care Medicine, Changxing People’s Hospital, Huzhou, China

  • Jia-Hui Huo,

    Roles Data curation, Investigation

    Affiliation Department of Critical Care Medicine, Changxing People’s Hospital, Huzhou, China

  • Ming Shen,

    Roles Methodology, Project administration

    Affiliation Department of Critical Care Medicine, Changxing People’s Hospital, Huzhou, China

  • Jun-Jie Chen,

    Roles Funding acquisition

    Affiliation Department of Critical Care Medicine, Changxing People’s Hospital, Huzhou, China

  • Zhi-Ming Yang,

    Roles Project administration

    Affiliation Department of Critical Care Medicine, Changxing People’s Hospital, Huzhou, China

  • Xiao-Xue Xia

    Roles Funding acquisition, Investigation, Project administration

    xiaxx2000@126.com

    Affiliation Department of Infectious Diseases, Changxing People’s Hospital, Huzhou, China

Abstract

Objective

Previous clinical studies have demonstrated conflicting evidence regarding the relationship between eosinophil (EOS) count and adverse outcomes in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study aimed to evaluate the impact of EOS count trajectories during ICU admission on mortality and the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in AMI patients.

Methods

A total of 1,493 critically ill AMI patients from the MIMIC-IV database were enrolled. Primary outcomes included 28-day and 1-year mortality, and secondary outcomes encompassed severe AKI incidence and ICU mortality. Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was applied to identify distinct EOS count trajectories. Survival differences were assessed by Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. Associations between the EOS trajectory and mortality were evaluated using multivariable logistic/Cox regression. Furthermore, mediation analysis was conducted to investigate the potential mediating effect of AKI on mortality.

Results

Three EOS trajectories were identified: Trajectory1 (stable-low), Trajectory2 (low-level steady rise), and Trajectory3 (medium-level rapid rise). Compared to Trajectory1, both the Trajectory2 (HR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.47–0.99) and Trajectory3 (HR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.50–0.79) showed significant reductions in 28-day mortality risk. The Trajectory3 also exhibited a 34% lower 1-year mortality risk compared to Trajectory1 (HR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.60–0.86). Mediation analysis revealed that AKI partially mediated the association between EOS trajectories and 28-day mortality.

Conclusion

EOS count trajectory independently predicts both short- and long-term mortality in critically ill AMI patients, establishing its role as a reliable marker for risk stratification and prognostic evaluation.

Introduction

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of global mortality, accounting for over 30% of total deaths worldwide and imposing a substantial socioeconomic burden [1,2]. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), as one of the most severe manifestations of CVD, often requires intensive care unit (ICU) admission due to hemodynamic instability, and its in-hospital mortality remains persistently high [36]. Current risk stratification tools (e.g., SOFA and APACHE II scores) rely on static parameters measured upon admission and involve complex calculations, failing to capture dynamic clinical evolution in ICU settings. Consequently, identifying readily available, cost-effective, and clinically feasible real-time biomarkers to predict outcomes in critically ill AMI patients remains a critical unmet need in clinical research.

Eosinophils (EOS) are innate immune cells that differentiate and proliferate in the bone marrow under the regulation of growth factors including interleukin-3 (IL-3), IL-5, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) [7,8]. They primarily exert their effects through degranulation—releasing cytokines and enzymes—in conditions such as allergies and parasitic infections [9,10]. Emerging evidence indicates a potential association between EOS levels and cardiovascular pathophysiology [1115]. While preclinical studies demonstrate EOS-mediated cardioprotection in experimental AMI, cardiac hypertrophy, and abdominal aortic aneurysms [1620], substantial discrepancies persist in clinical reports regarding EOS-AMI risk correlations [21]. These paradoxical findings and limited evidence collectively underscore the critical need to elucidate the clinical significance of EOS in AMI patients.

In addition, among the myriad complications of AMI, acute kidney injury (AKI) is particularly prevalent in the critical care setting, occurring in up to 20–30% of patients and arising from a complex interplay of hemodynamic instability, contrast-induced nephropathy, systemic inflammation, and cardiorenal syndrome [22,23]. AKI independently portends worse short- and long-term outcomes following AMI, underscoring the importance of identifying early predictors of renal injury in this population. Based on this background, the present study aims to systematically evaluate the association between dynamic EOS count trajectories and all-cause mortality and acute kidney injury (AKI) in AMI patients admitted to ICU. By implementing group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM), we characterize the prognostic value of distinct EOS evolution patterns across clinical pathways, ultimately informing novel therapeutic strategies and clinical decision-making.

Methods

Data source

This observational study employed clinical data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV (MIMIC-IV v3.1), a publicly accessible critical care database comprising anonymized records of >90,000 ICU admissions at a U.S. tertiary academic medical center (2008–2022). Data access authorization was obtained after completing Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative certification (Protocol ID: 60043211), emphasizing ethical data reuse. The protocol adhered to international ethical standards, including the Declaration of Helsinki. Institutional review board approval and individual informed consent were waived owing to the retrospective design and use of fully de-identified data.

Study population

For patients with multiple hospital admissions, only data from their first admission were analyzed. In cases where patients experienced multiple ICU transfers during their initial hospitalization, clinical records from the first ICU admission were exclusively extracted. As detailed in Fig 1, 6,864 AMI patients admitted to ICU were identified. Exclusion criteria were: 1) Age < 18 years (n = 0); 2) ICU length of stay <24 hours (n = 1,056); 3) Hematologic/rheumatic diseases, parasitic infections, or asthma/allergic conditions (n = 155); 4) Corticosteroid use (n = 373); and 5) fewer than 2 EOS counts measured within the first 7 days of ICU admission (n = 3,787). The final analytical cohort comprised 1,493 AMI patients.

thumbnail
Fig 1. Flowchart of patient inclusion and exclusion from the MIMIC-IV database.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.g001

Data extraction and definitions

Data extraction and processing were performed using Structured Query Language to retrieve demographics, comorbidities, laboratory parameters, and therapeutic interventions. For baseline clinical variables (vital signs and laboratory tests), the first recorded value within 24 hours post-ICU admission was extracted; when multiple measurements existed within this window, the earliest value was prioritized to mitigate treatment-related confounding. EOS counts measured during the initial seven ICU days were used to compute dynamic trajectories through GBTM, which classified patients into three distinct patterns: stable-low, low-level steady rise, and medium-level rapid rise trajectories. The average posterior probabilities (AvePP) for each of the three trajectories were 0.998, 0.995, and 0.999, respectively, and the odds of correct classification (OCC) were 1579.4, 247.6, and 946.5—all well above the recommended thresholds of 0.7 and 5. Variables exceeding 15% missingness—BMI (15.61%) and cTnT (15.20%)—were imputed by random forest algorithms to preserve statistical power and minimize bias.

Study endpoint

The primary endpoint was 28-day and 1-year all-cause mortality. The MIMIC-IV database ensures complete 1-year follow-up data for all included patients, with death information sourced from state death registries and hospital medical records. Secondary endpoints included: Severe acute kidney injury (AKI) incidence and ICU mortality. AKI was diagnosed per Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria, defined as meeting ≥1 of: 1) serum creatinine (SCr) increase ≥1.5-fold from baseline within 7 days of admission; 2) absolute SCr rise ≥0.3 mg/dL within 48 hours; or 3) urine output <0.5 mL/kg/h for ≥6 consecutive hours [24]. Severe AKI was specifically defined as stage ≥2 KDIGO classification. Baseline SCr was determined as the lowest value within 7 days pre-hospitalization; when unavailable, the initial admission SCr measurement served as reference [25,26].

Statistical analysis

Baseline characteristics were summarized using descriptive statistics appropriate to data distribution: continuous variables following normal distributions were expressed as mean ± standard deviation, non-normally distributed variables as median with interquartile range (IQR), and categorical variables as frequency counts with percentages. Group comparisons were conducted using Student’s t-test or ANOVA for normally distributed continuous variables, Mann-Whitney U or Kruskal-Wallis test for nonparametric continuous variables, and Pearson’s chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests for categorical variables based on data characteristics.

GBTM was employed to characterize distinct eosinophil count evolution patterns during the initial ICU stay, assuming a normal distribution and first-order (linear) polynomial terms [27]. The optimal trajectory model was selected through an iterative process evaluating: Bayesian information criterion (BIC), Akaike information criterion (AIC), average posterior probabilities (AvePP > 0.7), odds of correct classification (OCC > 5), minimum subgroup size (>5% of cohort), and clinical interpretability.

The primary endpoints of 28-day and 1-year all-cause mortality were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival curves with log-rank tests and multivariable Cox regression; proportional hazards assumptions were validated by Schoenfeld residual tests. Secondary outcomes included severe AKI incidence and ICU mortality, assessed by logistic regression. Variance inflation factors (VIF < 5) confirmed no significant multicollinearity (S1 Table). All models were progressively adjusted: Model 1 (unadjusted), Model 2 (adjusted for demographics including age, gender, and BMI), and Model 3 (adjusted for covariates with univariate significance (P < 0.05, S2 Table) combined with clinically relevant variables including age, gender, BMI, SBP, Heart rate, HB, WBC, PLT, Scr, Bun, cTnT, AF, CKD, ACEI/ARB, Beta blocker, Antiplatelet drugs, Statin, PCI and CABG). Mediation analysis with bootstrap-derived confidence intervals (1,000 resamples) quantified severe AKI’s indirect effect on 28-day mortality. Subgroup analyses examined interaction effects by forest plots. Sensitivity analyses were performed through restricted cubic splines (four knots) for admission and the last EOS counts alongside trajectory reclassification by EOS percentages.

Statistical significance was defined as a two-tailed P-value <0.05. All analyses were performed using R software (version 4.3.2).

Results

Baseline characteristics

This study enrolled 1,493 critically ill AMI patients with a mean age of 72 years, including 549 females (36.77%). GBTM estimated distinct posterior probabilities of trajectory group membership for each patient. Based on the aforementioned selection criteria—integrating BIC, AIC, AvePP, OCC, minimum subgroup size, and clinical interpretability—patients were classified into three distinct trajectory groups: Trajectory 1 (stable-low); Trajectory 2 (low-level steady rise); Trajectory 3 (medium-level rapid rise). The trajectory distribution is illustrated in Fig 2, with corresponding model parameters detailed in S3S5 Tables.

thumbnail
Fig 2. EOS count trajectories over the first 7 days of ICU admission.

Trajectory1 (35.83%): stable-low group; Trajectory2 (13.40%): Low-level steady rise group; Trajectory3 (50.77%): Medium-level rapid rise group.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.g002

Table 1 presents baseline characteristics stratified by trajectory groups. The stable-low trajectory group (Trajectory 1) demonstrated significantly older age, higher male predominance, lower BMI, faster heart rate, reduced hemoglobin levels, and elevated serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and APSIII compared to other trajectories. Furthermore, Trajectory 2 (low-level steady rise) and Trajectory 3 (medium-level rapid rise) groups exhibited greater utilization of guideline-directed medications and higher rates of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) versus the stable-low group (all P < 0.05).

thumbnail
Table 1. Baseline characteristics of AMI participants according to EOS count trajectories.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.t001

Associations of EOS counts trajectory and adverse outcomes

KM survival curves and Cox regression analyses were employed to investigate associations between eosinophil trajectories and mortality. KM analysis demonstrated significantly reduced survival probabilities in the stable-low trajectory group (Trajectory 1) at both 28 days and 1 year (log-rank P < 0.001; Fig 3). Furthermore, compared to Trajectory 1, both Trajectory 2 (low-level steady rise; HR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.47–0.99) and Trajectory 3 (medium-level rapid rise; HR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.50–0.79) were associated with reduced 28-day mortality. After multivariable adjustment, Trajectory 3 remained an independently associated with a lower risk of 1-year mortality (HR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.60–0.86), whereas Trajectory 2 lost statistical significance (Table 2). Further analyses revealed that compared to Trajectory 1, both Trajectory 2 and Trajectory 3 were inversely associated with ICU mortality and severe AKI incidence during hospitalization (both P < 0.05; S6 Table). These findings collectively indicate that rising eosinophil counts predict improved clinical outcomes in AMI patients.

thumbnail
Table 2. The associations of EOS count trajectories with 28-day and 1-year mortality in AMI patients.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.t002

thumbnail
Fig 3. Kaplan–Meier curves for (A) 28-day and (B) 1-year mortality according to EOS count trajectory.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.g003

Mediating effect

A mediation analysis was conducted to explore the potential mediating role of AKI in the association between EOS count trajectories and 28-day mortality. Compared to trajectory 1, trajectory 2 and 3 exhibited significantly lower rates of severe AKI (KDIGO stage ≥2) during hospitalization (P < 0.001; Tables 1 and S6). These groups were also independently associated with lower AKI risk (trajectory 2: OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.42–0.92; trajectory 3: OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.48–0.82). Bootstrap analysis indicated AKI may statistically account for part of the association between EOS trajectories and mortality. After covariate adjustment, the proportion mediated by AKI was 11.87% (95% CI: 1.39–28.02%; S7 Table). Collectively, these results suggest that severe AKI could partially explain the short-term mortality risk linked to distinct EOS count trajectory patterns.

Subgroup analysis

Subgroup analysis results are shown in Fig 4. When stratified by demographic and clinical characteristics—including age, sex, BMI, hypertension, diabetes, and CABG—the association between EOS count trajectories and short-term mortality remained consistent across all subgroups (all interaction P values > 0.05). However, for long-term mortality, the inverse association between elevated EOS trajectories (trajectory 2 and 3) and mortality was significantly more pronounced in AMI patients without diabetes compared to those with diabetes (interaction P value = 0.031).

thumbnail
Fig 4. Subgroup analysis for risk of in (A) 28-day and (B) 1-year mortality according to EOS count trajectory.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.g004

Sensitivity analysis

Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the primary findings. RCS analysis (S1 Fig) revealed significant L-shaped associations of both baseline and final EOS counts with 28-day and 1-year mortality (all P < 0.001), indicating that lower EOS levels consistently predicted adverse prognosis.

Furthermore, to explore the impact of distinct EOS manifestations on mortality, we conducted comparative analyses between trajectory patterns derived from absolute counts versus those based on relative percentages. KM analysis of EOS percentage trajectories (S2 Fig) replicated the primary trajectory findings: Trajectory 1 (stable-low) exhibited significantly reduced survival probabilities at both 28 days and 1 year compared to other trajectories (log-rank test P < 0.001). Additionally, multivariable Cox regression analysis (S8 Table) confirmed that Trajectory 2 (low-level steady rise) and 3 (medium-level rapid rise) remained independently associated with lower risks of both short-term and long-term mortality (all P < 0.05).

Discussion

This cohort study systematically evaluated the prognostic significance of EOS count trajectories in critically ill AMI patients through trajectory modeling and mediation analysis. Key findings include: (1) A persistently low EOS trajectory (Trajectory 1: stable-low) independently predicted significantly increased risks of both 28-day and 1-year mortality; (2) In contrast, trajectories characterized by sustained elevation—whether gradual (Trajectory 2: low-level steady rise) or rapid (Trajectory 3: medium-level rapid rise)—were independently associated with a reduced risk of short- and long-term mortality; (3) Mechanistically, severe AKI partially mediated the association between EOS trajectories and 28-day mortality; This study demonstrates that dynamic EOS trajectories effectively predict prognosis in critically ill AMI patients, with sustained rising patterns independently associated with significantly reduced mortality risk.

Following AMI, the inflammatory system becomes activated during the hyperacute phase of plaque rupture and thrombosis, significantly preceding the activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. During the acute ischemic phase, massive infiltration of immune cells—including neutrophils, EOS, lymphocytes, and monocytes/macrophages—into necrotic myocardial tissue releases cytokines that subsequently activate innate immunity and trigger intense inflammatory responses. Certain interactions among these immune cells may facilitate early ischemic tissue healing and cardiomyocyte repair [28]. Mechanistic investigations reveal that eosinophil cationic protein protects cardiomyocytes against hypoxia- and pressure overload-induced death, attenuates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, suppresses TGF-β-induced profibrotic protein expression in cardiac fibroblasts, inhibits angiogenesis, and suppresses inflammatory cell activation [29]. Moreover, EOS may alleviate post-MI cardiac dysfunction through secretion of IL-4 and EOS-derived ribonuclease 1 (mEar1 in mice), reducing cardiomyocyte apoptosis, fibroblast activation, and neutrophil adhesion. Both genetically EOS-deficient mice and diphtheria toxin-mediated EOS depletion models exhibit exacerbated MI pathology and heart failure following coronary ligation [18]. Further mechanistic evidence indicates that group 2 innate lymphoid cells contribute to myocardial protection by promoting EOS differentiation and maturation via IL-5 secretion—reinforcing the cardioprotective potential of EOS in MI pathogenesis [19]. These preclinical studies substantiate our clinical observations: the persistently low EOS trajectory observed early in ICU admission indicates that eosinopenia compromises endogenous cardioprotective mechanisms, thereby explaining the elevated short- and long-term mortality. Notably, the covariate-adjusted protective effect of Trajectory 2 (low-level steady rise) became non-significant for long-term mortality, suggesting that sustained higher EOS thresholds may be required to durably activate cardioprotective pathways.

However, clinical studies present divergent conclusions regarding the role of EOS in cardiovascular diseases, with most prior investigations relying on single-point EOS measurements. A study of 1,543 patients with perioperative MI or non-urgent PCI revealed elevated blood eosinophil counts in male patients and those with hypertension, prior revascularization, or receiving medical therapy [30]. Additionally, a Danish randomized controlled trial demonstrated higher EOS counts in males with prior AMI history than those without, with multivariable logistic regression identifying elevated blood EOS as a significant risk factor for human AMI [31]. These findings suggest pathogenic roles of EOS in post-MI cardiac injury. In contrast, Gao et al. enrolled 5,287 patients undergoing coronary angiography to evaluate associations between biochemical markers (including EOS counts) and coronary stenosis severity quantified by the Gensini score—a quantitative tool where higher scores indicate more severe stenosis [32]. Their results indicated lower EOS percentages among total leukocytes in patients, showing negative correlation with Gensini scores. Moreover, acute-phase AMI patients also exhibited significantly low EOS percentages. These discrepancies may stem from differing data capture timings capturing EOS values at distinct disease phases, thereby altering prognostic associations. Notably, this study focuses on dynamically monitored EOS trajectories during ICU hospitalization—rather than single-point measurements. Our study reveals that although Trajectory 2 initially exhibited low EOS levels comparable to Trajectory 1, its subsequent gradual increase likely underlies divergent clinical outcomes—highlighting the superior prognostic value of dynamic EOS monitoring over single-point measurements in AMI patients. This study expands the potential application scope of EOS in prognostic assessment for cardiovascular critical care.

Through mediation modeling, our analysis suggests for the first time that EOS trajectory patterns may provide a partial explanation for short-term mortality risk through their statistical association with AKI. This raises critical pathophysiological questions: Within AMI’s unique “cardio-renal interplay” context (e.g., contrast-induced AKI, inflammatory cascades, oxidative stress, and cardiorenal syndrome) [3335], how does EOS-mediated immunomodulation contribute to AKI pathogenesis? Previous studies indicate higher risks associated with low EOS in patients with Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 0 flow or elevated Gensini scores [36]. We thus postulate that persistently low EOS levels reflect severe coronary stenosis and suboptimal revascularization, ultimately causing more pronounced impairment of cardiac pump function and subsequent renal hypoperfusion. Prospective multicenter studies are warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Additionally, subgroup analysis revealed that the protective effect of elevated eosinophils on long-term outcomes was diminished in AMI patients with diabetes, suggesting that hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory responses may exacerbate myocardial injury [6,37].

As a routine component of complete blood count, EOS offer high accessibility and cost-effectiveness. This study innovatively demonstrates that dynamic trajectory analysis of EOS enables early and precise risk stratification in the ICU setting. For patients with persistently low EOS trajectories, clinicians should implement intensified in-hospital monitoring—including dynamic renal function assessment with AKI-preventive interventions and hemodynamics-guided cardiac support—alongside establishing structured post-discharge follow-up protocols. This risk stratification model transforms conventional laboratory parameters into dynamic decision-making tools, providing a novel paradigm for precision management in critical cardiovascular care.

Strengths and limitations

The strengths of this study include its innovative application of dynamic trajectory modeling to characterize temporal EOS dynamics in critically ill AMI patients—overcoming limitations of static single-point measurements—alongside multidimensional endpoint validation integrating mediation analysis that firstly identified AKI as a partial mediator of the EOS-mortality relationship.

However, several limitations warrant consideration. First, the single-center retrospective design may introduce selection bias, and our cohort represents critically ill AMI patients requiring ICU care, which limits applicability to general AMI populations. Validation of our findings in prospective multicenter cohorts is warranted. Second, despite adjustment for multiple confounders, residual bias from unmeasured variables may persist. Third, inherent database limitations precluded access to cardiac function assessments such as echocardiography. The absence of data on left ventricular ejection fraction, wall motion abnormalities, or other structural parameters represents an important constraint, as cardiac function may influence both the systemic inflammatory response and long-term survival. Finally, the 7-day observation window required for trajectory modeling limits real-time applicability during early ICU admission, and future studies should explore whether abbreviated trajectories derived from the first 48–72 hours retain comparable prognostic value. Future studies should incorporate more comprehensive datasets to robustly validate these associations.

Conclusions

Early eosinophil trajectories in ICU patients with acute myocardial infarction were strongly associated with mortality and AKI. Persistently low eosinophil counts identified patients at highest risk, while rising trajectories predicted better outcomes. As eosinophil counts are routinely available, trajectory-based assessment may serve as a simple tool for early risk stratification, warranting prospective validation.

Supporting information

S1 Table. Multicollinearity Diagnostics Using Generalized Variance Inflation Factors (GVIF).

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.s001

(DOCX)

S2 Table. Univariate Cox regression analysis for 28-day and 1-year mortality.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.s002

(DOCX)

S3 Table. The Group-based Trajectory Modelling (GBTM) parameters (AIC, BIC and class sizes) for EOS count trajectory grouping.

AIC: Akaike Information Criterion; BIC: Bayesian Information Criteria.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.s003

(DOCX)

S4 Table. The Group-based Trajectory Modelling (GBTM) parameters (AvePP) for EOS count trajectory grouping.

AvePP: Average Posterior Probabilities.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.s004

(DOCX)

S5 Table. The Group-based Trajectory Modelling (GBTM) parameters (OCC) for EOS count trajectory grouping.

OCC: Odds of Correct Classification.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.s005

(DOCX)

S6 Table. The associations of EOS count trajectories with ICU mortality and severe AKI incidence in AMI patients.

Model1: unadjusted; Model2: adjusted for age, gender, BMI; Model3: adjusted for age, gender, BMI, SBP, HR, HB, WBC, PLT, Scr, Bun, cTnT, HF, AF, CKD, APSIII, ACEI/ARB, Beta blocker, Antiplatelet drugs, Statin, PCI, CABG.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.s006

(DOCX)

S7 Table. Mediation effect of severe AKI on the association between the EOS count trajectories and 28-day mortality.

Model1: unadjusted; Model2: adjusted for age, gender, BMI; Model3: adjusted for age, gender, BMI, SBP, HR, HB, WBC, PLT, Scr, Bun, cTnT, HF, AF, CKD, APSIII, ACEI/ARB, Beta blocker, Antiplatelet drugs, Statin, PCI, CABG.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.s007

(DOCX)

S8 Table. The associations of EOS% trajectories with 28-day and 1-year mortality in AMI patients.

Model1: unadjusted; Model2: adjusted for age, gender, BMI; Model3: adjusted for age, gender, BMI, SBP, HR, HB, WBC, PLT, Scr, Bun, cTnT, HF, AF, CKD, APSIII, ACEI/ARB, Beta blocker, Antiplatelet drugs, Statin, PCI, CABG.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.s008

(DOCX)

S1 Fig. Restricted cubic spline curves for the association between EOS count and mortality.

(A) Baseline EOS count and 28-day mortality, (B) Baseline EOS count and 1-year mortality, (C) Last EOS count and 28-day mortality and (D) Last EOS count and 1-year mortality.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.s009

(JPG)

S2 Fig. Kaplan–Meier curves according to EOS% trajectory.

(A) 28-day mortality, (B) 1-year mortality.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0349827.s010

(JPG)

References

  1. 1. Roth GA, Mensah GA, Johnson CO, et al. Global burden of cardiovascular diseases and risk factors, 1990-2019: update from the GBD 2019 study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020;76:2982–3021.
  2. 2. Zhao D, Liu J, Wang M, Zhang X, Zhou M. Epidemiology of cardiovascular disease in China: current features and implications. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2019;16(4):203–12. pmid:30467329
  3. 3. Ohbe H, Matsui H, Yasunaga H. ICU versus high-dependency care unit for patients with acute myocardial infarction: a nationwide propensity score-matched cohort study. Crit Care Med. 2022;50(6):977–85. pmid:35020671
  4. 4. Kaufmann M, Perren A, Cerutti B, Dysli C, Rothen HU, Swiss Society of Intensive Care Medicine. Severity-adjusted ICU mortality only tells half the truth-the impact of treatment limitation in a nationwide database. Crit Care Med. 2020;48(12):e1242–50. pmid:33031145
  5. 5. Berg DD, Bohula EA, van Diepen S, Katz JN, Alviar CL, Baird-Zars VM, et al. Epidemiology of shock in contemporary cardiac intensive care units. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2019;12(3):e005618. pmid:30879324
  6. 6. Shuai W-L, Zhang H-J, Wang N, Zhang H-C, Zeng Q-T, Wang R, et al. Association of glycemic variability with short and long-term mortality among critically ill patients with heart failure: Analysis of the MIMIC-IV database. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2025;221:112009. pmid:39870182
  7. 7. Khoury P, Grayson PC, Klion AD. Eosinophils in vasculitis: characteristics and roles in pathogenesis. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2014;10(8):474–83. pmid:25003763
  8. 8. Wen T, Rothenberg ME. The regulatory function of eosinophils. Microbiol Spectr. 2016;4.
  9. 9. Fulkerson PC, Rothenberg ME. Targeting eosinophils in allergy, inflammation and beyond. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2013;12(2):117–29. pmid:23334207
  10. 10. Valent P, Degenfeld-Schonburg L, Sadovnik I, Horny H-P, Arock M, Simon H-U, et al. Eosinophils and eosinophil-associated disorders: immunological, clinical, and molecular complexity. Semin Immunopathol. 2021;43(3):423–38. pmid:34052871
  11. 11. Marx C, Novotny J, Salbeck D, Zellner KR, Nicolai L, Pekayvaz K, et al. Eosinophil-platelet interactions promote atherosclerosis and stabilize thrombosis with eosinophil extracellular traps. Blood. 2019;134(21):1859–72. pmid:31481482
  12. 12. Pongdee T, Manemann SM, Decker PA, Larson NB, Moon S, Killian JM, et al. Rethinking blood eosinophil counts: epidemiology, associated chronic diseases, and increased risks of cardiovascular disease. J Allergy Clin Immunol Glob. 2022;1(4):233–40. pmid:36466741
  13. 13. Verdoia M, Schaffer A, Cassetti E, Di Giovine G, Marino P, Suryapranata H, et al. Absolute eosinophils count and the extent of coronary artery disease: a single centre cohort study. J Thromb Thrombolysis. 2015;39(4):459–66. pmid:25079972
  14. 14. Withers SB, Forman R, Meza-Perez S, Sorobetea D, Sitnik K, Hopwood T, et al. Eosinophils are key regulators of perivascular adipose tissue and vascular functionality. Sci Rep. 2017;7:44571. pmid:28303919
  15. 15. Nakamura M, Sadoshima J. Mechanisms of physiological and pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2018;15(7):387–407. pmid:29674714
  16. 16. Xu JY, Xiong YY, Tang RJ, Jiang WY, Ning Y, Gong ZT, et al. Interleukin-5-induced eosinophil population improves cardiac function after myocardial infarction. Cardiovasc Res. 2022;118(9):2165–78. pmid:34259869
  17. 17. Liu C-L, Liu X, Zhang Y, Liu J, Yang C, Luo S, et al. Eosinophils protect mice from Angiotensin-II Perfusion-Induced abdominal aortic aneurysm. Circ Res. 2021;128(2):188–202. pmid:33153394
  18. 18. Liu J, Yang C, Liu T, Deng Z, Fang W, Zhang X, et al. Eosinophils improve cardiac function after myocardial infarction. Nat Commun. 2020;11(1):6396. pmid:33328477
  19. 19. Liu T, Meng Z, Liu J, Li J, Zhang Y, Deng Z, et al. Group 2 innate lymphoid cells protect mouse heart from myocardial infarction injury via interleukin 5, eosinophils, and dendritic cells. Cardiovasc Res. 2023;119(4):1046–61. pmid:36063432
  20. 20. Hällgren R, Venge P, Cullhed I, Olsson I. Blood eosinophils and eosinophil cationic protein after acute myocardial infarction or corticosteroid administration. Br J Haematol. 1979;42(1):147–54. pmid:465357
  21. 21. Xu J, Guo J, Liu T, Yang C, Meng Z, Libby P, et al. Differential roles of eosinophils in cardiovascular disease. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2025;22(3):165–82. pmid:39285242
  22. 22. Reinstadler SJ, Kronbichler A, Reindl M, Feistritzer H-J, Innerhofer V, Mayr A, et al. Acute kidney injury is associated with microvascular myocardial damage following myocardial infarction. Kidney Int. 2017;92(3):743–50. pmid:28412022
  23. 23. Odutayo A, Wong CX, Farkouh M, Altman DG, Hopewell S, Emdin CA, et al. AKI and long-term risk for cardiovascular events and mortality. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2017;28(1):377–87. pmid:27297949
  24. 24. Stevens PE, Levin A, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes Chronic Kidney Disease Guideline Development Work Group Members. Evaluation and management of chronic kidney disease: synopsis of the kidney disease: improving global outcomes 2012 clinical practice guideline. Ann Intern Med. 2013;158(11):825–30. pmid:23732715
  25. 25. Siew ED, Ikizler TA, Matheny ME, Shi Y, Schildcrout JS, Danciu I, et al. Estimating baseline kidney function in hospitalized patients with impaired kidney function. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2012;7(5):712–9. pmid:22422536
  26. 26. Huber M, Ozrazgat-Baslanti T, Thottakkara P, Scali S, Bihorac A, Hobson C. Cardiovascular-specific mortality and kidney disease in patients undergoing vascular surgery. JAMA Surg. 2016;151(5):441–50. pmid:26720406
  27. 27. Nagin DS, Jones BL, Passos VL, Tremblay RE. Group-based multi-trajectory modeling. Stat Methods Med Res. 2018;27(7):2015–23. pmid:29846144
  28. 28. Kologrivova I, Shtatolkina M, Suslova T, Ryabov V. Cells of the immune system in cardiac remodeling: main players in resolution of inflammation and repair after myocardial infarction. Front Immunol. 2021;12:664457. pmid:33868315
  29. 29. Yang C, Li J, Deng Z, Luo S, Liu J, Fang W, et al. Eosinophils protect pressure overload- and β-adrenoreceptor agonist-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Cardiovasc Res. 2023;119(1):195–212. pmid:35394031
  30. 30. Verdoia M, Schaffer A, Barbieri L, Sinigaglia F, Marino P, Suryapranata H, et al. Eosinophils count and periprocedural myocardial infarction in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions. Atherosclerosis. 2014;236(1):169–74. pmid:25055060
  31. 31. Diederichsen ACP, Rasmussen LM, Søgaard R, Lambrechtsen J, Steffensen FH, Frost L, et al. The Danish Cardiovascular Screening Trial (DANCAVAS): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2015;16:554. pmid:26637993
  32. 32. Gao S, Deng Y, Wu J, Zhang L, Deng F, Zhou J, et al. Eosinophils count in peripheral circulation is associated with coronary artery disease. Atherosclerosis. 2019;286:128–34. pmid:31154080
  33. 33. Maksimczuk J, Galas A, Krzesiński P. What promotes acute kidney injury in patients with myocardial infarction and multivessel coronary artery disease-contrast media, hydration status or something else? Nutrients. 2022;15(1):21. pmid:36615678
  34. 34. Rangaswami J, Bhalla V, Blair JEA, Chang TI, Costa S, Lentine KL, et al. Cardiorenal Syndrome: classification, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment strategies: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2019;139(16):e840–78. pmid:30852913
  35. 35. McCullough PA, Choi JP, Feghali GA, Schussler JM, Stoler RM, Vallabahn RC, et al. Contrast-induced acute kidney injury. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2016;68(13):1465–73. pmid:27659469
  36. 36. Lin K, Luo M, Gu X, Xu J-Y, Tian J, Libby P, et al. Changes in blood eosinophil counts predict the death of patients with myocardial infarction after hospital discharge. J Am Heart Assoc. 2025;14(1):e035383. pmid:39704243
  37. 37. He HM, Wang Z, Xie YY, et al. Maximum stress hyperglycemia ratio within the first 24 h of admission predicts mortality during and after the acute phase of acute coronary syndrome in patients with and without diabetes: a retrospective cohort study from the MIMIC-IV database. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2024;208:111122.