Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between coronary flow reserve and the recovery of wall motion contractility in patients with recent myocardial infarction.
Methods and results: Nineteen patients (55 +/- 8 years) undergoing balloon angioplasty for recent myocardial infarction were studied. After angioplasty, coronary flow reserve was lower in the infarct-related artery than in a reference artery, 2.2 +/- 0.6 and 2.8 +/- 0.7, respectively, P < 0.05. There was no immediate correlation between coronary blood flow reserve measured after angioplasty and wall motion index. There was a negative correlation between coronary flow reserve and the number of necrotic segments (r = -0.43; P0.006). At the 4 month control angiogram, there was a significant increase in both left ventricular ejection fraction (59 +/- 14% vs 51 +/- 13%; P < 0.05) and wall motion index (-0.63 +/- 1.2 vs -1.94 +/- 0.9 units SD, P = 0.005). In patients in whom wall motion improved (> 1 unit SD), the immediate coronary flow reserve was higher (P < 0.05) than in patients without improved wall motion. In this group, the increase in wall motion index was correlated to the coronary blood flow reserve (r = 0.55; P < 0.02).
Conclusion: These data show that after myocardial infarction, coronary flow reserve is associated with myocardial viability.