Relationship between infarct artery location, epicardial flow, and myocardial perfusion after primary percutaneous revascularization in acute myocardial infarction.
BACKGROUND
The association between infarct artery location, reperfusion success, and clinical outcomes after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not been characterized. We examined the infarct artery-specific impact of epicardial and myocardial flow and reperfusion after primary PCI for acute myocardial infarction.


METHODS
Among 2082 patients undergoing primary PCI in the CADILLAC trial, myocardial blush grade, TIMI flow grade, ST-segment resolution, and clinical outcomes were analyzed according to the infarct artery.


RESULTS
Baseline clinical characteristics did not significantly differ between patients experiencing infarction in the left anterior descending (LAD, 37%) versus left circumflex (18%) and right coronary artery (46%) distributions. Baseline left ventricular function was reduced, and collateral flow was less commonly present in patients with infarction involving the LAD. Achievement of final TIMI-3 flow, grade 3 myocardial blush, and ST-segment resolution >70% was also significantly less common in anterior infarction. Patients with anterior versus nonanterior infarction had significantly higher mortality at 30 days (3.4% vs 1.3%, P = .0006) and 1 year (6.5% vs 2.9%, P < .0001) and had increased 1-year rates of reinfarction (3.6% vs 1.7%, P = .009) and ischemic target vessel revascularization (16.1% vs 11.7%, P = .006). By multivariate analysis, LAD infarction was a powerful independent predictor of 1-year mortality (odds ratio 2.45, P = .009).


CONCLUSIONS
Acute myocardial infarction involving the LAD distribution is associated with reduced left ventricular function, less frequent collateral flow, impaired myocardial perfusion and decreased reperfusion success, findings associated with reduced survival, and increased major adverse cardiac events compared with other vascular territories. These data provide mechanistic insights to the adverse prognosis of patients with anterior infarction.
Kandzari
David E
DE
Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC, USA. david.kandzari@duke.edu
Tcheng
James E
JE
Gersh
Bernard J
BJ
Cox
David A
DA
Stuckey
Thomas
T
Turco
Mark
M
Mehran
Roxana
R
Garcia
Eulogio
E
Zimetbaum
Peter
P
McGlaughlin
Michael G
MG
Lansky
Alexandra J
AJ
Costantini
Costantino O
CO
Grines
Cindy L
CL
Stone
Gregg W
GW
D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*