Early resolution of ST-segment elevation after reperfusion therapy for acute myocardial infarction: Its relation to echocardiography-determined left ventricular global and regional function and deformation.

AIMS: To evaluate the relationships between ST-segment resolution (STR) and echocardiography-determined left ventricular (LV) global and regional function and deformation in the sub-acute phase of STEMI.

METHODS AND RESULTS: STR, defined as either complete (≥70%) or incomplete (<70%), was evaluated 60minutes after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of 84 STEMI patients. Conventional two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography and 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) were performed at 3-7days after reperfusion. LV deformation [including the infarction-related regional longitudinal (RLS), circumferential (RCS), and radial (RRS) strains, and global longitudinal (GLS), circumferential (GCS), and radial (GRS) strains] was measured by 2D STE. LV segmental function was assessed by wall motion score index (WMSI). Patients in incomplete vs. complete STR groups had higher WMSI (p<0.001); decreased peak amplitude of RLS (p<0.001), RCS (p=0.008), RRS (p=0.002); and decreased peak amplitude of GLS (p<0.001), GCS (p<0.001), GRS (p=0.003). RLS (r=0.27, p=0.015) and GLS (r=0.33, p=0.003) were best correlates of STR at the regional and global level, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: STR correlated with global and regional LV function and deformation in patients with sub-acute phase of STEMI after PCI. RLS and GLS were the strongest correlates of STR at the regional and global levels, respectively.