ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The no-reflow phenomenon is a serious complication after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) may increase the risk of no-reflow, however, only limited data is available on the potential impact of CAE. The aim of this study was to determine the potential association between CAE and no-reflow after primary PCI. METHODS: A case control study was performed based on a prospective cohort of STEMI patients from January 2000 to December 2011. All patients with TIMI 0-1 flow post primary PCI, in the absence of dissection, thrombus, spasm or high-grade residual stenosis, were considered as no-reflow case. Control subjects were two consecutive STEMI patients after each case, with TIMI flow ≥2 after primary PCI. CAE was defined as dilatation of an arterial segment to a diameter at least 1.5 times that of the adjacent normal coronary artery. RESULTS: In the no-reflow group, frequency of CAE was significantly higher (33.8% vs 3.9%, pâ¯<â¯0.001) compared to the control group. Baseline variables were comparable between patients with and without CAE. Patients with CAE had more often TIMI 0-1 flow pre-PCI (91% vs 71% pâ¯=â¯0.03), less often anterior STEMI (3% vs 37%, pâ¯<â¯0.001) and underwent significantly less often a PCI with stenting (47% vs 74%, pâ¯=â¯0.003). After multivariate analysis, CAE remained a strong and independent predictor of no-reflow (OR 13.9, CI 4.7-41.2, pâ¯<â¯0.001). CONCLUSION: CAE is a strong and independent predictor of no-reflow after primary PCI for STEMI. Future studies should assess optimal treatment.
