Acute phase segmental radial strain correlates with recovery and late gadolinium extent in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI): analysis of the abciximab intracoronary versus intravenously drug application in STEMI substudy.

Background: The role of regional strain evaluation in patients with acute reperfused ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is not well determined. The objective of this study was the description of regional strain characteristics in the acute and chronic phase of myocardial infarction and its correlation with symptom-to-balloon time and final extent of myocardial scar assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods: The study cohort has been derived from the randomized controlled Abciximab Intracoronary versus Intravenously Drug Application in STEMI (AIDA STEMI) trial enrolled at the University of Ulm.