[Value of coronary blood flow pattern as a predictor of functional recovery and short-term left ventricular remodeling after primary coronary angioplasty. A transthoracic Doppler study].

Introduction And Objectives: Coronary blood flow measurement using a Doppler guidewire is the most sensitive way of detecting the no-reflow phenomenon following reperfusion of a myocardial infarction (MI). New high-frequency Doppler probes enable coronary blood flow velocity to be measured noninvasively. Our aims were to study the different patterns of left anterior coronary artery blood flow observed by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography, and to describe their association with functional recovery following reperfusion of an anterior MI.

Methods: The study included 57 patients with a mean age of 60 years (range 30-85 years). An abnormal coronary blo:d flow pattern was defined as one in which there was a high peak diastolic velocity and a short deceleration time (i.e., < or = 500 ms). We compared the regional contractility, ventricular volumes, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) measured after 72 hours with those measured 1 month after MI.

Results: Overall, 31 patients (54%) had a normal coronary blood flow pattern (Group 1) and 26 (46%), an abnormal pattern (Group 2). After one month, regional contractility improved in Group-1 patients, as did LVEF, from 46.8 (8.6) to 52.6 (8.8)% (P=.002). In these patients, left ventricular volumes were unchanged. In contrast, regional contractility and LVEF remained unchanged in Group-2 patients whereas ventricular volumes increased, from 55.8 (12.9) to 62.9 (16.8) ml/m2 (P=.05), and from 32.2 (9.5) to 37.1 (14.9) ml/m2 (P< .05). Coronary blood flow pattern was the most important independent predictor of left ventricular remodeling, odds ratio =6.14 (95% CI, 1.56-24.17).

Conclusions: Transthoracic Doppler echocardiographic assessment of coronary blood flow following reperfusion of an anterior myocardial infarction can be used to identify patients with microvascular damage who are progressing towards ventricular dilatation without recovery of myocardial function.