In our small, pilot trial, administration of cyclosporine at the time of reperfusion was associated with a smaller infarct by some measures than that seen with placebo. These data are preliminary and require confirmation in a larger clinical trial.

Background-We previously demonstrated that ischemic postconditioning decreases creatine kinase release, a surrogate marker for infarct size, in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Our objective was to determine whether ischemic postconditioning could afford (1) a persistent infarct size limitation and (2) an improved recovery of myocardial contractile function several months after infarction. Methods and Results-Patients presenting within 6 hours of the onset of chest pain, with suspicion for a first ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, and for whom the clinical decision was made to treat with percutaneous coronary intervention, were eligible for enrollment. After reperfusion by direct stenting, 38 patients were randomly assigned to a control (no intervention; nϭ21) or postconditioned group (repeated inflation and deflation of the angioplasty balloon; nϭ17). Infarct size was assessed both by cardiac enzyme release during early reperfusion and by 201 thallium single photon emission computed tomography at 6 months after acute myocardial infarction. At 1 year, global and regional contractile function was evaluated by echocardiography. At 6 months after acute myocardial infarction, single photon emission computed tomography rest-redistribution index (a surrogate for infarct size) averaged 11.8Ϯ10.3% versus 19.5Ϯ13.3% in the postconditioned versus control group (Pϭ0.04), in agreement with the significant reduction in creatine kinase and troponin I release observed in the postconditioned versus control group (Ϫ40% and Ϫ47%, respectively). At 1 year, the postconditioned group exhibited a 7% increase in left ventricular ejection fraction compared with control (Pϭ0.04). Conclusions-Postconditioning affords persistent infarct size reduction and improves long-term functional recovery in patients with acute myocardial infarction.