ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients with Hyperglycemia: Effects of Intravenous Adenosine.

BACKGROUND

Admission hyperglycemia is common in subjects with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Reperfusion therapy with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) represents the leading therapeutic choice, in particular in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Despite this, mortality, re-hospitalizations and complications remain a relevant problem. Adenosine, a purine nucleoside, may reduce no-reflow. Therefore, whe studied the effects of intravenous infusion of adenosine in addition to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) in hyperglycemic patients with STEMI.

METHODS

We evaluated 836 patients with STEMI and admission hyperglycemia (glycemia >140 mg/dL). At the end, 399 patients were entered into the database. Patients were grouped on the basis of whether they received adenosine or not.

RESULTS

A total of 199 patients received intravenous adenosine infusion and PPCI and 200 patients did not. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated significant differences in all death, cardiac death, re-hospitalization for heart failure and for acute coronary syndrome in the adenosine treated group.

CONCLUSIONS

The effects of intravenous infusion of adenosine and PPCI on clinical outcomes are significant but we need future larger studies with larger follow-up and statistical analysis to confirm our results.