ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of trimetazidine therapy on left ventricular (LV) function after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 106 patients with unstable angina pectoris underwent successful elective PCI were randomly assigned to standard therapy group (control, n = 55) or trimetazidine group (n = 51, 60 mg trimetazidine loading dose prior to PCI followed by 20 mg Tid after PCI on top of standard therapy). cTnI level was measured before and at 16-18 hours after PCI. LV function was evaluated by echocardiography and major adverse cardiac events (MACE, including death, re-infarction and target vessel revascularization) at 12 months after PCI was compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Post procedural cTnI level increased from [0.02 (0.01, 0.03)] µg/L at baseline to [0.11 (0.07, 0.13)] µg/L (P < 0.05) at 16-18 hours in the trimetazidine group, while [0.02(0.01, 0.03)] µg/L to [1.31(0.44, 2.31)] µg/L in the control group (P < 0.05). Post procedural cTnI level was significantly reduced in the trimetazidine group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). At 12 months follow-up, left ventricular ejection fraction in the trimetazidine group was significantly higher than in control group [(65.65 ± 3.94)% vs. (62.29 ± 3.06)%, P < 0.01] while incidence of MACE was similar between the two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Trimetazidine can reduce the post-PCI cTnI release and improve left ventricular function after PCI in patients with unstable angina pectoris.</p>