Significant correlation of recruitable coronary collateral blood flow determined by coronary wedge pressure with

Shigeshi Kamikawa1, Kohichiro Iwasaki, Keizo Yamamoto

  • 1Department of Medicine and Medical Science, Okayama University Graduates School of Medicine and Dentistry, Japan.

Insights

Fractional collateral flow (Qc/Q(N)) effectively predicts sufficient coronary collateral blood flow during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This measurement helps prevent myocardial ischemia by assessing blood flow adequacy before obstruction.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Interventional Cardiology
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Quantitative assessment of coronary collateral blood flow is crucial for managing coronary artery stenosis.
  • Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) involves temporary coronary artery occlusion, necessitating evaluation of collateral circulation.
  • Electrocardiographic changes during PCI can indicate myocardial ischemia due to insufficient collateral blood flow.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between recruitable coronary collateral blood flow and electrocardiographic changes during PCI.
  • To determine if quantitative measurements of coronary pressure can predict the adequacy of collateral blood flow.
  • To assess the utility of fractional collateral flow (Qc/Q(N)) in preventing ischemia during coronary obstruction.

Main Methods:

  • Coronary pressure and electrocardiograms were measured in 119 patients undergoing PCI for left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis.
  • Fractional collateral flow (Qc/Q(N)) was calculated by dividing coronary wedge pressure by mean aortic pressure during balloon inflation.
  • Myocardial ischemia was defined by ST-segment shifts, and correlations between Qc/Q(N) and ST-segment changes (MaxST, sumST) were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • A significant inverse correlation was found between Qc/Q(N) and both MaxST (r=-0.455) and sumST (r=-0.477), indicating higher collateral flow reduces ischemic changes.
  • A Qc/Q(N) cut-off value of 0.27 demonstrated 71.4% sensitivity and 76.2% specificity for predicting sufficient collateral blood flow.
  • No significant increase in collateral blood flow was observed with repeated transient coronary occlusions during PCI.

Conclusions:

  • Fractional collateral flow (Qc/Q(N)) is a clinically valuable parameter for assessing sufficient recruitable coronary collateral blood flow during PCI.
  • Qc/Q(N) can help prevent myocardial ischemia by identifying patients with inadequate collateral circulation before obstruction.
  • The study suggests that repeat occlusions do not enhance collateral blood flow during a single PCI procedure.
Abstract