title: Vessel heterogeneity of TIMI frame count and its relation to P-wave dispersion in patients with coronary slow flow.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The vessel heterogeneity of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count (TFC) in patients with coronary slow flow (CSF) remains to be further evaluated, and the correlation between TFC heterogeneity and P-wave dispersion (PWD) has not been elucidated. We aim to investigate the vessel heterogeneity of TFC in coronary arteries, and its relation to PWD in patients with CSF and otherwise normal coronary arteries.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 72 patients with angiographically documented CSF and 66 age- and gender-matched control subjects. The coefficient of variation (CV) and mean TFC of the three vessels were calculated. P-wave duration and PWD were measured on the standard electrocardiograms (ECGs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean TFC and CV were both significantly higher in CSF patients than in controls (P<0.001 for both comparisons). The maximum P-wave duration (Pmax) and PWD were found to be significantly higher in CSF patients than in controls (P<0.001 for both comparisons). In patients with CSF, both Pmax and PWD were mildly correlated to mean TFC (r=0.318, P=0.009; and r=0.307, P=0.010), and were more significantly correlated to CV (r=0.506, P<0.001; and r=0.579, P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data demonstrate that variability of TFC in three coronary arteries is increased in CSF patients, and that the vessel heterogeneity in coronary flow might be intimately associated with PWD.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China ; 2 Department of Geriatric, Geriatric Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China ; 3 Department of Surgery, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ; 4 Department of Surgery, University hospitals Leuven (UZ-Leuven), Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China ; 2 Department of Geriatric, Geriatric Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China ; 3 Department of Surgery, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ; 4 Department of Surgery, University hospitals Leuven (UZ-Leuven), Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: You
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China ; 2 Department of Geriatric, Geriatric Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China ; 3 Department of Surgery, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ; 4 Department of Surgery, University hospitals Leuven (UZ-Leuven), Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Adham Sameer A
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Bardeesi
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China ; 2 Department of Geriatric, Geriatric Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China ; 3 Department of Surgery, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ; 4 Department of Surgery, University hospitals Leuven (UZ-Leuven), Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ekhlas Samir A
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Bardisi
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China ; 2 Department of Geriatric, Geriatric Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China ; 3 Department of Surgery, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ; 4 Department of Surgery, University hospitals Leuven (UZ-Leuven), Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Xinxue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China ; 2 Department of Geriatric, Geriatric Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China ; 3 Department of Surgery, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ; 4 Department of Surgery, University hospitals Leuven (UZ-Leuven), Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Chufan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luo
keywords: Coronary slow flow (CSF); P-wave dispersion (PWD); P-wave duration; coronary angiography; electrocardiography