Assessment of Coronary Artery Flow Velocity Pattern as a Long-Term Predictor of Left Ventricular Function and Cardiac Events after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Anterior Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background Coronary flow velocity (CFV) can be used to assess short-term left ventricular function recovery and the clinical prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We evaluated CFV as a predictor of long-term left ventricular function recovery and cardiac events in patients with anterior wall AMI. Methods and Results CFV pattern of the distal left anterior descending (LAD), wall motion score index (WMSI) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were recorded at the points of time within 24 hours, 3 days, 6 months, and 3 years after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in 50 consecutive patients with anterior wall AMI. The clinical data were collected. Patients were divided into two groups based on diastolic deceleration time (DDT) 3 days after PCI. Compared with 3 days, LVEF and WMSI in group A (DDT>600 ms, n=20) improved in 6 months and 3 years (p<0.01), but they were unchanged in group B (DDT <= 600 ms, n= 30). The incidence of cardiac events was higher in group B than in group A during 6 months (p<0.01). With a 3-year follow up, the incidence of chronic heart failure was higher in group B than in group A (p=0.009). Conclusion CFV could be used as a predictor of long-term left ventricular function recovery and cardiac events in patients with anterior wall AMI.