[Abnormal myocardial perfusion after infarction in patients with persistent TIMI grade-3 flow. Only an acute phenomenon?].
OBJECTIVE
It has been suggested that abnormal perfusion as derived from cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is a transient dysfunction of microcirculation after myocardial infarction (MI) with TIMI 3 flow. We hypothesized that defects of myocardial perfusion may persist during the following months.


METHODS
Forty-seven patients with MI and sustained TIMI 3 flow underwent intracoronary myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) 1 week and 6 months after infarction. Abnormal perfusion by MCE was regarded as > 1 hypoperfused segment.


RESULTS
At the first week, 20 patients showed abnormal perfusion as derived from MCE. At the sixth month 10 patients displayed chronic abnormal perfusion. These patients had greater left ventricular volumes and lower ejection fraction at the sixth month by CMR (P< .01).


CONCLUSIONS
MCE detects perfusion defects which can persist in chronic phase--this relates to more severe systolic dysfunction and increased left ventricular volumes.
Bodí
Vicente
V
Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Clínico y Universitario de Valencia, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain. vicentbodi@hotmail.com
Sanchis
Juan
J
Núñez
Julio
J
López-Lereu
María P
MP
Mainar
Luis
L
Bosch
María J
MJ
Domínguez
Eloy
E
Husser
Oliver
O
Chorro
Francisco J
FJ
Llácer
Angel
A
D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011134:Polysaccharides; D013599:Systole; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000502:physiology
D003287:Contrast Media; D011134:Polysaccharides; C059891:SHU 508