title: Normalisation of elevated ST segment predicts return of left ventricular systolic function and improved outcome in patients with acute myocardial infarction, treated with primary coronary angioplasty.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been shown that normalisation of elevated ST segment after primary percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) is associated with the achievement of reperfusion at the tissue level.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess prospectively the return of left ventricular (LV) systolic function and the outcome of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), treated with primary PCI, in relation to the early normalisation of the ST segment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 110 consecutive patients (33 females, 77 males, mean age 56 years) with AMI who were successfully treated with primary PCI (TIMI flow grade 3 and residual stenosis <30%) within 12 hours from the onset of symptoms. The patients were divided into two groups according to normalisation or lack of normalisation of an elevated ST segment. The mean time from the onset of symptoms to the restoration of blood flow in an infarct-related artery (pain-to-balloon time) was similar in both groups. LV echocardiographic parameters (ejection fraction EF and wall motion score index WMSI) and clinical status directly after PCI as well as 3 and 6 months later were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Directly after primary PCI, LV impairment (low EF and high WMSI) was significantly more often present in patients without rather than with ST segment normalisation. Afterwards, LVEF and WMSI improved significantly only in patients with ST segment normalisation whereas in the remaining patients no such improvement was observed. During 6-month follow-up period, major cardiac events (death, new AMI or need for revascularisation) occurred more frequently in patients without rather than with ST segment normalisation (p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  1. Rapid resolution of ST segment elevation following effective primary PCI identifies patients with a favourable outcome. 2. ST segment normalisation predicts a return of LV systolic function in patients with AMI treated with primary PCI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Medical Academy, Białystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomaszuk-Kazberuk
authors.forename: Włodzimierz J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Musiał
authors.forename: Sławomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dobrzycki
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Korecki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left