Total absence of ST-segment resolution after failed thrombolysis is correlated with unfavorable short- and long-term outcomes despite successful rescue angioplasty.
BACKGROUND
ST-segment resolution (STR) is a well-established and simple tool for assessing the efficacy of reperfusion therapy in myocardial infarction. An incomplete (<50%) STR is a recognized marker of failed thrombolysis and a suitable recruitment criterion for rescue angioplasty.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine the predictive value of the total absence of STR after thrombolysis in rescue angioplasty (percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI]).


METHODS
Eighty-one consecutive patients who underwent a rescue angioplasty for failed thrombolysis in our institution from 2001 to 2007 were included. Two groups of patients were defined according to their STR extent, 90 minutes after lysis: partial resolution group 1 (10%-50% STR) vs absence of resolution group 2 (<10% STR) and compared in terms of in-hospital and long-term outcomes.


RESULTS
Patients of group 2 were more likely to experience hemodynamic deterioration (50% vs 24%; odds ratio [OR] = 3.17; P = .017), to have a Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 0 flow on the culprit artery (62.3% vs 42%; OR = 2.24; P = .045), to have a multivessel disease (66.7% vs 40%; OR = 3; P = .018), and to die during index hospitalization (26.7% vs 6%; OR = 5.69; P = .013) despite statistically similar rates of PCI failure in both groups (10% vs 7%; P = .402) and similar post-PCI STR (72% +/- 18.25% vs 75% +/- 11.62%; P = .36). In multivariate analysis, total absence of STR proved to be an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (HR = 7.02; P = .032; 95% confidence interval, 1.18-41.58). Long-term major adverse cardiac events occurred more frequently in group 2 (log rank, P = .004) and were (on the Cox regression model) independently predicted by total absence of STR (HR = 6.21; P = .023; 95% confidence interval, 1.28-29.1).


CONCLUSIONS
The STR assessment before rescue PCI proved to be a good and simple means to predict the short- and long-term prognosis in these patients.
Cardiology Department, University Hospital Hedi Chaker, Sfax, Tunisia. sofienerek@yahoo.fr
Sofiene
S
Rekik
Sabeur
S
Mnif
Mohammed
M
Sahnoun
Salma
S
Krichen
Hanene
H
Charfeddine
Imen
I
Trabelsi
Faten
F
Triki
Mourad
M
Hentati
Samir
S
Kammoun
D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome