Coronary flow velocity pattern assessed noninvasively by transthoracic color Doppler echocardiography serves as a predictor of adverse cardiac events and left ventricular remodeling in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
BACKGROUND
Quantitative assessment of microvascular injury is possible in patients with reperfused anterior myocardial infarction by invasive method. Coronary flow velocity patterns can also be assessed by transthoracic color Doppler echocardiography (TTCDE).


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine whether the coronary flow velocity pattern assessed by TTCDE serves as a predictor of adverse cardiac events and left ventricular remodeling.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 64 consecutive patients. We could analyze coronary flow velocity patterns by TTCDE in 59 of 64 patients (92%) after coronary intervention. The patients were followed up for the occurrence of complications and underwent serial measurement of left ventricular volumes.


RESULTS
In patients with a short deceleration time of diastolic flow velocity, the frequency of adverse cardiac events and left ventricular remodeling was higher.


CONCLUSIONS
It is possible to predict clinical outcome by assessing coronary flow velocity pattern by TTCDE.
Katayama
Minako
M
Division of Cardiology, Kobe General Hospital, Kobe, Japan. katayama@fbri.org
Yamamuro
Atsushi
A
Ueda
Yoshiaki
Y
Tamita
Koichi
K
Yamabe
Kenji
K
Ibuki
Motoaki
M
Takagi
Tsutomu
T
Yagi
Toshikazu
T
Akasaka
Takashi
T
Morioka
Shigefumi
S
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling