title: Impact of thrombus aspiration use and direct stenting on final myocardial blush score in patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many studies have reported that low final thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow and/or myocardial blush grade (MBG) are independent predictors of mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In addition, distal coronary embolization is a major pitfall of conventional percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in such a context.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess the impact of thrombus aspiration (TA) use before primary PCI on final myocardial reperfusion in patients presenting with STEMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January to December 2006, 100 patients presenting with STEMI in our catheterization laboratory were considered for the present study. During this time period, 50 patients underwent TA before primary PCI for treatment of STEMI and were then matched 1:1 to 50 controls who underwent conventional primary PCI for treatment of STEMI without TA. Patients of the control group were chosen after matching on age+/-3 years, sex, history of diabetes, and distribution of the infarct related coronary artery during the same period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline clinical characteristics, initial TIMI flow and initial MBG of both groups were similar. There was a trend for a better final TIMI flow in the group with TA and the final MBG was significantly improved in the group with TA compared to the group without TA: final MBG of two or three in 70% versus 30% of the cases (P=.001). In addition, direct stenting was significantly more often used in the TA group (92% versus 64%, P=.001). There were four patients with evident distal embolizations in the group without TA and none in the group with TA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TA use before primary PCI for STEMI treatment resulted in improved final myocardial reperfusion. Of importance, TA use may have led to a better choice of the stent size and more frequent direct stenting. This benefit may directly improve patient outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Pôle de Cardiologie, Service de Cardiologie B et Centre Hémodynamique, Hôpital Cardiologique, Centre Hospitalier Régional et Universitaire de Lille, Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lemesle
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sudre
authors.forename: Rachid
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bouallal
authors.forename: Cédric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delhaye
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosey
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bauters
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lablanche
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015607:Stents; D015996:Survival Rate; D017131:Thrombectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000502:physiology