Summary
Both heightened platelet reactivity and an occluded infarct related artery (IRA) on
initial angiography and at the time of primary percutaneous coronary intervention
(PCI) are associated with a worsened clinical outcome in patients with ST-elevation
myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, the relationship between platelet reactivity
and IRA patency has not yet been established. Consecutive STEMI-patients were enrolled
in this study. Patients who had TIMI-flow (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction)
0 or 1 on initial angiography constituted the occluded IRA group and patients having
TIMI-flow 2 or 3 comprised the IRA patent group. Platelet function measurements were
performed using the PFA-100 COL/ADP cartridge and light transmittance aggregometry
without agonist (spontaneous) and after stimulation with adenosine diphosphate (ADP)
and arachidonic acid (AA). Ninety-nine patients were enrolled, of whom 49 presented
with an occluded IRA. Multivariate analysis identified the following independent factors
to be associated with an occluded IRA; short COL/ADP closure time (ORper quartile increase= 0.60; 95% CI, 0.39-.93; p=0.02), the 20 μM ADP-induced light transmittance aggregometry
(ORper quartile increase =1.77; 95% CI, 1.15–l2.73; p=0.01) and leukocyte counts (odds ratio [OR]=1.21; 95%
CI, 1.05–1.39; p = 0.008). In conclusion, heightened platelet reactivity and elevated
leukocyte counts are associated with an occluded IRA upon presentation in STEMI-patients.
These results emphasise the importance of potent antithrombotic therapy early after
the onset of symptoms, to obtain early recanalisation of the IRA.
keywords
ST-elevation myocardial infarction - infarct-related artery - clopidogrel - platelet
reactivity