title: Sequential evaluation of coronary flow patterns after primary angioplasty in acute anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction predicts recovery of left ventricular systolic function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Function of the microcirculation after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is dynamic and contributes to unpredictability of recovery of left ventricular (LV) systolic function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to evaluate sequential Doppler velocity parameters of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) in predicting recovery of global and regional LV systolic function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five consecutive patients, 24 males, age 59 ± 12 years, with acute anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who had primary PCI were studied. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) and myocardial blush grades were evaluated. Transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) studies, evaluation of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), LAD territory wall-motion score index (WMSI), and sampling of LAD Doppler velocities up to 6 hours post-PCI, 48 hours postprocedure, and predischarge were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction grade before PCI averaged 0.86 ± 1.19 and post-PCI 2.89 ± 0.32, P < 0.05. Myocardial blush grade before PCI was 0.41 ± 0.98 and after PCI 2.22 ± 0.93, P < 0.05. Diastolic velocity deceleration time (DDT) in the LAD early after PCI was less than 600 ms in 16 subjects. Immediately after PCI, in subjects with DDT > 600 ms, LVEF was 38.5 ± 6% and predischarge 49.2 ± 8.7%, P = 9.77 × 10−5 and LAD-WMSI decreased from 2 ± 0.38 to 1.4 ± 0.48, P = 0.000163. In subjects with DDT < 600 ms LAD-WMSI did not change significantly. Early and minimal LAD-DDT correlated with improvement in LV systolic function, r = 0.6, whereas post-PCI blush grade had lower correlation with LVEF, r = 0.39.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Global and regional LV systolic function after PCI in acute anterior MI can be predicted by LAD-DDT better than by post-PCI myocardial blush.
authors.forename: Dawod
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharif-Rasslan
authors.forename: Nabeel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Makhoul
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shefer
authors.forename: Amin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rosenschein
mesh_terms: D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013599:Systole; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*