Prognostic implications of restrictive left ventricular filling in reperfused anterior acute myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to assess the relative prognostic role of a restrictive left ventricular (LV) filling pattern after a first anterior acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients treated with primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA).


BACKGROUND
In thrombolized patients, a short Doppler-derived mitral deceleration time (DT) of early filling is a powerful independent predictor of heart failure and death. However, it is still unknown whether the outcome of patients with AMI with a short DT may be improved by a more aggressive treatment.


METHODS
In 104 patients, two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiograms were obtained three days after the index AMI. Coronary angiography was performed in all patients one and six months after PTCA. The patients were classified into two groups according to the DT duration: group 1 (n = 34) with DT < or = 130 ms and group 2 (n = 70) with DT >130 ms. All patients were followed-up for a mean (+/- SD) period of 32 +/- 10 months.


RESULTS
During the follow-up period, 14 patients (13%) were admitted to the hospital for congestive heart failure, and 9 patients (9%) died. All cardiac deaths (n = 7) occurred in group 1. The survival rate at mean follow-up was 79% in group 1 and 97.2% in group 2 (p = 0.003). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that only age and restrictive filling were independent predictors of event-free survival. Furthermore, when survival with no cardiovascular events was analyzed, a short DT still emerged as the most powerful independent predictor.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with a restrictive LV filling pattern early after anterior AMI have a poor clinical outcome, even if treated with primary PTCA.
Cerisano
G
G
Division of Cardiology, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy. carddept@tin.it
Bolognese
L
L
Buonamici
P
P
Valenti
R
R
Carrabba
N
N
Dovellini
E V
EV
Pucci
P D
PD
Santoro
G M
GM
Antoniucci
D
D
D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left