New Unexpected Data on Non-Culprit Vessels in MI

Patients with acute myocardial infarction presenting lesions in multiple vessels is not associated with reduced infarct size in non-culprit lesions, even when functionally significant. 

Nueva y discrepante información sobre los vasos no culpables en el infarto

Animal models suggest brief periods of ischemia in non-infarct territories (non-culprit) might protect culprit territory thanks to remote ischemic preconditioning.  This pre-conditioning, according to this perspective, would reduce reperfusion injury and translate into reduced infarct size. 

Ischemic preconditioning model may be used in patients with functionally significant lesions in other vessels presenting MI. 

The aim of this stud was to look into the link between functional multivessel disease and reduced infarct size in a large contemporary cohort of patients

A cardiac MR was done in 610 patients undergoing primary PCI on day 1 and after 3 months

Patients were stratified in 3 groups according to FFR measurements in non-culprit lesions: angiographic single vessel disease, FFR nonsignificant single vessel disease, or FFR-significant functional multivessel disease. 


Read also: The Key to Treating Stroke: Knowing When to Stop.


431 patients presented angiographic single vessel disease (71%), 35 had functional single vessel disease (6%) and 144 had functional multivessel disease (23%).

There were no significant differences in infarct size or myocardial salvage index between groups. Functional multivessel disease was not associated with larger myocardial salvage (p=0.56) or smaller infarct size (p=0.55).

These outcomes raise questions about remote ischemic pre-conditioning. 

Conclusion

Functional multivessel disease in patients undergoing primary PCI is not associated to reduced infarct size or improve myocardial salvage index.  This is important information for future cardioprotective treatment of MI patients. 

Título original: Ischemia From Nonculprit Stenosis Is Not Associated With Reduced Culprit Infarct Size in Patients with ST-Segment–Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Referencia: Kathrine Ekström et al. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2021 May 5. Online ahead of print. doi: 10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.120.012290. 


Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

Get the latest scientific articles on interventional cardiology

More articles by this author

Coronary Perforations and Use of Covered Stents: Safe and Effective Long-Term Strategy?

Coronary perforations remain one of the most serious complications of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), especially in cases of Ellis ruptures type III. In these...

Left Main Coronary Artery Disease: Intravascular Imaging-Guided PCI vs. Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Multiple randomized clinical trials have demonstrated superior outcomes with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) vs. percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with left main...

AHA 2025 | OCEAN Study: Anticoagulation vs. Antiplatelet Therapy After Successful Atrial Fibrillation Ablation

After a successful atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation, the need to maintain long-term anticoagulation (AC) remains uncertain, especially considering the very low residual embolic risk...

AHA 2025 | VESALIUS-CV: Evolocumab in High-Cardiovascular-Risk Patients Without Prior MI or Stroke

LDL cholesterol is a well-established factor for cardiovascular disease. Therapy with PCSK9 inhibitors, including evolocumab, has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular...

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related Articles

SOLACI Sessionsspot_img

Recent Articles

Coronary Perforations and Use of Covered Stents: Safe and Effective Long-Term Strategy?

Coronary perforations remain one of the most serious complications of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), especially in cases of Ellis ruptures type III. In these...

Is it really necessary to monitor all patients after TAVR?

Conduction disorders (CD) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are a frequent complication and may lead to the need for permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI)....

Is it really necessary to monitor all patients after TAVR?

Conduction disorders (CD) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are a frequent complication and may lead to the need for permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI)....