BACKGROUND: Progress in reperfusion therapy for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has greatly reduced acute phase mortality, but few data exist regarding the time trends in left ventricular (LV) remodeling in hospital survivors of AMI. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study enrolled 813 patients with AMI who had received reperfusion therapy and survived to hospital discharge. The patients were divided into chronological groups: first treatment received between 1989 and 1992, n=196; 1993 and 1995, n=193; 1996 and 1998, n=211; and 1999 and 2002, n=213. A comparison was made of LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and LV end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI) at 6 months after symptom onset. Along with the temporal improvements reperfusion therapy, LVEF and LVEDVI improved over time (55+/-14, 58+/-13, 59+/-13, 61+/-13%, p<0.001; 98+/-30, 94+/-27, 90+/-31, 76+/-27 ml/m2, p<0.0001). Multiregression analysis revealed that shortening of the door-to-Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI)-3 time (time interval from arrival at the emergency room until patients achieved TIMI-3 flow) and achieving substantial TIMI-3 flow were independent predictors for LV remodeling. CONCLUSION: Although this was a retrospective analysis, the results demonstrated that the change in reperfusion therapy aiming at complete reperfusion at an earlier stage after AMI onset has contributed to improving post-MI remodeling.
BACKGROUND: Progress in reperfusion therapy for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has greatly reduced acute phase mortality, but few data exist regarding the time trends in left ventricular (LV) remodeling in hospital survivors of AMI. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study enrolled 813 patients with AMI who had received reperfusion therapy and survived to hospital discharge. The patients were divided into chronological groups: first treatment received between 1989 and 1992, n=196; 1993 and 1995, n=193; 1996 and 1998, n=211; and 1999 and 2002, n=213. A comparison was made of LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and LV end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI) at 6 months after symptom onset. Along with the temporal improvements reperfusion therapy, LVEF and LVEDVI improved over time (55+/-14, 58+/-13, 59+/-13, 61+/-13%, p<0.001; 98+/-30, 94+/-27, 90+/-31, 76+/-27 ml/m2, p<0.0001). Multiregression analysis revealed that shortening of the door-to-Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI)-3 time (time interval from arrival at the emergency room until patients achieved TIMI-3 flow) and achieving substantial TIMI-3 flow were independent predictors for LV remodeling. CONCLUSION: Although this was a retrospective analysis, the results demonstrated that the change in reperfusion therapy aiming at complete reperfusion at an earlier stage after AMI onset has contributed to improving post-MI remodeling.