Backgrounds and Objectives:
The slow coronary flow (SCF) phenomenon is an angiographic concept which is characterized by delayed passage of angiographic contrast along the coronary arteries in the absence of stenosis in the epicardial vessels. Recently multiple biomarkers are reported to be associated with atherosclerosis, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. So the aim of this study was to investigate the association between coronary blood flow and serum biochemical markers by means of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count (TFC) in patients with SCF.
Methods:
The study included 138 patients (52 men, 86 women; mean age 50.8+/- 9.9, 54 ± 9.7 years) excluding coronary artery disease, presence of ischemia on noninvasive tests, heart failure, left ventricular hypertrophy, atrial fibrillation and valvular, myocardial or pericardial disease. Coronary flow was quantified using the corrected TIMI frame count (TFC) method and serum levels of biomarkers were measured. We statistically defined slow coronary flow(SCF) as if TFC was more than 25 at LAD , 18 at LCX, and 17 at RCA.
RESULTS:
There was a significant correlation with LAD TFC with biochemical marekrs. 31 patients were in SCF group and 107 patients were in normal coronary flow(NCF) group. There was also no difference in baseline cardiovascular characteristics and angiographic findings. There was a significant difference between SCF and control groups with respect to serum uric acid (P = 0.014). The TFC was significantly correlated with GGT, serum uric acid, creatinine, male gender, hypertension and cigarette smoking. (P <0.05 for all) On multivariate analysis GGT was the only independent predictor of the mean TFC (b=0.305, p=0.003).
CONCLUSION:
These findings showed that serum GGT and uric acid level are significantly associated with coronary blood flow and that elevated uric acid might be an independent predictor for the presence of SCF. Further clinical studies are needed to clarify the physiopathologic role of biomarkers activity in SCF.
|