ROUTINELY AVAILABLE BIOMARKERS AS LONG-TERM PREDICTORS OF DEVELOPING SYSTOLIC DYSFUNCTION IN COMPLETELY REVASCULARIZED PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ST ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and creatine kinase (CK) as long-term predictors of reduced systolic function in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with complete revascularization. This prospective study evaluated consecutive patients with acute STEMI who had normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF >= 50%) at admission with single-vessel disease and underwent complete revascularization. Blood samples were collected from admission to day 7. The primary endpoint was reduction of LVEF <50% after 12 months. The study included 47 patients, median age 59 +/- 10 years, 74.5% of them men. Patients who developed systolic dysfunction (LVEF <50%) had significantly higher mean values of cTnT after 24 hours (5.11 vs. 2.82 mu g/L, p=0.010) and peak values of CK (3375.5 vs. 1865 U/L, p=0.008). There was no significant relation between hsCRP and development of reduced LVEF (p=0.541). In conclusion, cTnT and CK could serve as long-term predictors of reduced left ventricular systolic function (<50%) in acute STEMI patients with normal systolic function at admission, single-vessel coronary disease and complete revascularization during primary PCI.