Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count in coronary arteries without visible atherosclerosis in coronary angiography of patients with stable coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count (TFC) in the coronary arteries without visible atherosclerosis in coronary angiography of patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).


METHODS
Eighty-three patients (mean age 58+/-10, 31 [37%] males), who underwent coronary angiographic evaluation for stable angina in Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey, Cardiology clinic between 2006-2007 were enrolled. Forty patients with normal coronary arteries were defined as group I. Group II consisted of 43 patients, who have one normal coronary artery in the setting of stable CAD defined as stenoses 50% or greater in at least one major coronary artery. Coronary blood flow and microvascular perfusion was evaluated by TFC.


RESULTS
In group II, the TFC of left anterior descending artery (LAD) in 15 patients, TFC of circumflex artery (CX) in 18 patient, and TFC of right coronary artery (RCA) in 10 patients were evaluated. In group II, the TFC of LAD (37+/-12 versus 29+/-12, p=0.015) and CX (22+/-8 versus 18+/-9, p=0.035) were significantly higher than those in group I. The TFC of RCA was similar between groups (17+/-9 versus 17+/-8, p=0.990). After the adjustment of the risk factors by multivariate regression analyses, the association between TFC and clinical characteristic was statistically non-significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The TFC decreased in angiographically normal LAD and CX arteries in the setting of stable angina pectoris. The important predictor was CAD alone, irrespective of the clinical parameters.
Tacoy
Gulten A
GA
Department of Cardiology, Gazi University Medical School, Besevler 06500, Ankara, Turkey. gtacoy@gmail.com
Yazici
Guliz E
GE
Kocaman
Sinan A
SA
Ozdemir
Murat H
MH
D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy