Effect of postconditioning on coronary blood flow velocity and endothelial function in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Objective: To observe the effect of postconditioning on coronary blood flow velocity and endothelial function in acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: We recruited patients with AMI who underwent primary PCI. The patients were randomized to an ischemic-reperfusion group (IR group) and a postconditioning group. Corrected TIMI frame count (CTFC), Wall motion score index (WMSI), Creatine phosphokinase (CK), CK-MB, malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. Arterial endothelial function was studied non-invasively by echo Doppler technique.

Results: Patients with postconditioning had much faster CTFC. After 8 weeks, the WMSI in Postcond group was significantly larger. There was a significant negative correlation between WMSI and CTFC in IR group and Postcond group(r = - 0.90, p < 0.01; r = - 0.79, p < 0.01). The peaks of CK and CK-MB of Postcond group were much lower than those of the IR group, and MDA-reactive products were significantly lower than those of the IR group after PCI. The endothelium-dependent vasodilatory function was improved in the Postcond group.

Conclusions: Postconditioning is a simple interventional procedure for salvage of the coronary endothelial function and increasing coronary blood flow velocity.