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Updated: Jun 14, 2026
Evaluation of Coronary Flow Reserve After Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion in Rats
Published on: June 28, 2019
Association between coronary flow reserve, left ventricular systolic function, and myocardial viability in acute
Brian Bridal Løgstrup1, Dan E Høfsten, Thomas B Christophersen
1Department of Medical Research, Funen Hospital Svendborg, Svendborg 5700, Denmark. bbl@dadlnet.dk
Insights
Reduced coronary flow reserve (CFR) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients is linked to impaired left ventricular (LV) function and reduced myocardial viability. Non-invasive CFR estimation is crucial for assessing post-AMI cardiac health.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Myocardial Infarction Research
Background:
- Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) poses significant risks to left ventricular (LV) systolic function and myocardial viability.
- Assessing coronary flow reserve (CFR) is vital for understanding cardiac health post-AMI.
- Non-invasive methods for evaluating CFR, LV function, and myocardial viability are essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationships between coronary flow reserve (CFR), left ventricular (LV) systolic function, and myocardial viability in patients following acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
Main Methods:
- Non-invasive estimation of CFR in 149 patients with first AMI.
- Assessment of LV systolic function and myocardial viability using low-dose dobutamine Doppler echocardiography (LDDE).
- Comparison of echocardiographic variables between patients with preserved and low CFR.
Main Results:
- Resting echocardiographic variables did not differ significantly between preserved and low CFR groups.
- During LDDE, patients with low CFR exhibited decreased longitudinal LV function and increased end-systolic volume.
- Myocardial viability was significantly less likely in patients with CFR ≤ 2 (2%) compared to those with CFR > 2 (79%).
Conclusions:
- Resting echocardiographic parameters showed no significant differences between patient groups.
- Reduced CFR during LDDE was associated with compromised LV size and longitudinal function.
- Lower CFR strongly correlates with a reduced likelihood of myocardial viability in AMI patients.
Aims:
To investigate the relationships between coronary flow reserve (CFR), left ventricular (LV) systolic function, and myocardial viability in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
Methods And Results:
In 149 patients with a first AMI, we estimated CFR non-invasively and assessed LV systolic function with low-dose dobutamine Doppler echocardiography (LDDE), which also identified viability. Resting echocardiographic variables did not differ between patients with preserved (54.4%) and low CFR (45.6%). During LDDE, longitudinal LV function was decreased [9.5 cm/s (8;11.3) vs. 10.6 cm/s (8.5;12.5), P = 0.04] and end-systolic volume increased [49.5 mL (38;66) vs. 42 (31;61), P = 0.04] in patients with low compared with preserved CFR. Among 87 (58%) patients with resting wall motion abnormalities, 28 met the criteria for viability. One of 53 (2%) met the criteria for viability in patients with CFR < or =2 compared with 27 of 34 (79%) with CFR > 2, P < 0.0001.
Conclusion:
Resting echocardiographic parameters were similar in patient groups. During LDDE, patients with reduced CFR had increased LV size and compromised longitudinal function of LV and were less likely to have evidence of myocardial viability.
