Assessment of change of coronary artery flow using corrected TIMI frame count following abciximab adminstration during primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction

Abstract

Background:In spite of the successful reperfusion therapy, coronary blood flow in infarcted myocardium was known to decrease for a long time. Abciximab is known to inhibit the final pathway of platelet aggregation and maintenance the large vessel patency. But abciximab may have another important effect beyond the these effect. TIMI frame count method is simple, reproducible, objective and quantitative index of coronary flow. We tried to define the effect of abciximab that used with primary angioplasty on the coronary blood flow using TIMI frame count methods. Methods:We consecutively studied 30 patients who admitted for acute myocardial infarction without cardiogenic shock from September 1997 to August 1999. We analyzed the changes of corrected TIMI frame count (CTFC) between the baseline (immediate after the angioplasty) and follow-up (postop 7th day) coronary angiogram and compared the results between the group of primary angioplasty with abciximab (abciximab group, n=11) and the group of primary angioplasty without abciximab (non-abciximab group, n =19). Results:There were no differences between abciximab group and non-abciximab group in baseline characteristics, treatment modalities and angiographic results. According to the results of the comparison of Δ CTFC, changing rate of CTFC, Δvelocity and changing rate of velocity, there were significant improvement of the coronary blood flow in infarct related artery in the abciximab group than non-abciximab group. But there were no differences in the changes of coronary blood flow in non-infarct related artery between two groups. The frequency of major adverse coronary events during follow up periods (mean 6 months) were similar (9.1% and 5.2% each other, p>0.05). Conclusions:Abciximab used with primary angioplasty in 논문접수일:2000년 2월 14일 심사완료일:2000년 5월 25일 교신저자:승기배, 137-040 서울 서초구 반포동 가톨릭대학교 의과대학 내과학교실 전화:(02) 590-1661·전송:(02) 591-1075 E-mail:kbseung@cmc.cuk.ac.kr