The coronary flow velocity reserve measured by stress transoesophageal echocardiography evaluates the success of coronary interventions--results of a 5-year follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to examine the long-term prognostic value of coronary flow velocity reserve (CFR) evaluated by means of stress transoesophageal echocardiography (STEE) in patients who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).


METHODS
The study comprised 31 patients with significant LAD stenosis who underwent LAD-PCI. In consequence of their clinical signs, 11 subjects required rePCI or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operation within six months. The clinical status of the remaining 20 cases improved during the follow-up. STEE examinations were performed before LAD-PCI and after it.


RESULTS
The CFR of patients in a stable clinical condition improved during the follow-up, while the CFR of those who required rePCI or CABG remained unchanged. From this patient population, two subjects died during the 5-year follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Most of the patients who displayed an improved CFR after PCI suffered no major clinical events during the 5-year follow-up; in contrast, in those who a priori had a low CFR and did not show any improvement after PCI, major events did occur during this period.
Nemes
Attila
A
2nd Department of Medicine and Cardiology Center, Medical Faculty, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical and Pharmaceutical Center, University of Szeged, Hungary. nemes@in2nd.szote.u-szeged.hu
Forster
Tamás
T
Ungi
Imre
I
Nagy
Viktória
V
Vass
Andrea
A
Pálinkás
Attila
A
Varga
Albert
A
Csanády
Miklós
M
D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D016896:Treatment Outcome