In our pilot trial, the administration of low-dose intracoronary streptokinase immediately after primary PCI improved myocardial reperfusion but not long-term left ventricular size or function. These findings require clarification in a larger trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00302419.)

Background: In acute myocardial infarction (AMI), increased neutrophil count has been associated with more severe coronary artery disease and larger infarct size. Increased mean platelet volume (MPV) is also associated with poor clinical outcome and impaired angiographic reperfusion in patients with AMI. However, the associations of neutrophil count and MPV with the indices of tissue level reperfusion were not fully elucidated. Aim: To elucidate the relationship between baseline neutrophil count and MPV on presentation and microvascular injury in patients with anterior AMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). Methods: 41 patients with anterior wall AMI treated successfully with pPCI were included. The leucocyte count, neutrophil count and MPV were obtained on admission, and the percentage of neutrophils was calculated. After PCI thrombolysis in myocardial infarction, grade 3 flow was established in all patients. The coronary flow velocity pattern (diastolic deceleration time (DDT)) was examined with transthoracic echocardiography and measured intracoronary pressures with fibreoptic pressure-temperature sensortipped guidewire in the left anterior descending artery within 48 h after pPCI. Thermodilution-derived coronary flow reserve (CFR) was calculated. Index of microvascular resistance (IMR) was defined as simultaneously measured distal coronary pressure divided by the inverse of the thermodilution-derived hyperaemic mean transit time. Subsequently, a short compliant balloon was placed in the stented segment and inflated to measure coronary wedge pressure (CWP). Conclusion: Absolute and relative neutrophilia and higher MPV on admission were independently associated with impaired microvascular perfusion in patients with anterior AMI treated with pPCI. It is possible that neutrophilia and high MPV are simple surrogate markers of worse microvascular injury in patients with AMI.

TDI-derived right ventricular IVA may be used as an adjunctive, reliable, noninvasive parameter for the early detection of right ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with MS but without signs of systemic venous congestion.

Background: Aspirin resistance may increase up to more then threefold the risk of major cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with stable coronary artery disease.Aim:The aim of our study was to determine; the prevalence of aspirin resistance in patients with acute coronary syndromes, the role of aspirin resistance on outcome in the follow-up and the effect of clopidogrel therapy in the prevention of MACE in aspirin resistant subjects.Material and methods: We detected the prevelance of aspirin resistance in 105 patients with acute coronary syndrome. Platelet functions were analyzed in Platelet Function Analyzer (PFA)-100 (Dade Behring, Germany) with collagen and/or epinephrine (Col/Epi) and collagen and/or ADP (Col/ADP) cartridges. Primary end points of the study were myocardial infarction, unstable angina, cardiac death.Results: 19% (n = 20) of patients were aspirin resistant by PFA-100. In the follow-up, MACE occured in 9 patients (45%) with aspirin resistance and in 10 patients (11.7%) with aspirin sensitive platelet aggregation (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that aspirin resistance was an indepen-B. Pamukcu ( ) dant predictor of MACE. The prevalence of MACE in patients who were on clopidogrel treatment for 12 months were lower compared to those who were on a clopidogrel treatment for the first six months (p = 0.040).Conclusions: We determined that the MACE risk in patients with acute coronary syndromes having detected aspirin resistance, was higher at statistically significant levels compared to patients having aspirin sensitive platelet aggregation. Our results showed that aspirin resistance, was an independant predictor of MACE in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

In this study, it has been demonstrated that low-dose ICSK given immediately after primary PCI significantly limits long-term infarct size and preserves left ventricular volumes and functions. (Effect of Complementary Intracoronary Streptokinase Administration Immediately After Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention on Microvascular Perfusion and Late Term Infarct Size in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction; NCT00302419).