The temporal recovery of fractional flow reserve, coronary flow reserve and index of microcirculatory resistance following myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this review was to summarize the healing processes after myocardial infarction (MI) and to relate these temporal changes to data from serial imaging obtained by cardiac magnetic resonance, and then to relate these findings to the invasive measures of the indices of coronary physiology (e.g., fractional flow reserve, coronary flow reserve and index of microcirculatory resistance).


RESULTS
Indices of coronary physiology measured with an intracoronary wire represent an easily and readily available diagnostic tool for the management of coronary artery disease. Additionally, they give insight into the functional status of the coronary microvasculature. Recent evidence has confirmed initial observations that microvascular recovery occurs after MI and that this is reflected by a progressive improvement of all the indices of coronary physiology over time. More importantly, it has been clarified that this process is variable, but probably predictable as it is affected by the degree of microvascular injury occurring in the acute phase of MI.


CONCLUSIONS
Microvascular recovery after acute MI affects the measurement of the indices of coronary physiology. Use of fractional flow reserve, coronary flow reserve and index of microcirculatory resistance requires an understanding of how microvasculature evolves after MI. This understanding allows appropriate application of intracoronary physiology both clinically and in research settings.
Oxford Heart Centre, Oxford University Hospitals, Oxford, UK.
Giovanni Luigi
GL
De Maria
Gregor
G
Fahrni
Adrian P
AP
Banning
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology*; D053805:Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology*; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013997:Time Factors; D014655:Vascular Resistance