[Circulating microRNA-92a in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction]

To examine the expression of circulating microRNA-92a (miR-92a) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and the impact of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on such expression.

The level of circulating miR-92a was measured in three groups of patients: 58 STEMI patients received PCI, 24 STEMI patients received no PCI, and 116 patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP) without PCI.

On the day next to admission, STEMI patients received no PCI were found to have higher level of circulating miR-92a as compared to SAP patients without PCI (0.2869 ± 0.8167 vs. -0.0555 ± 0.9855, F = 2.438, P = 0.121). Twenty-four hours after the PCI, the level of circulating miR-92a in STEMI patients received the procedure was lower than those without it (-0.0324 ± 0.9563 vs. 0.2869 ± 0.8167, F = 2.054, P = 0.156). The SAP patients (without PCI) had higher survival rate as compared to the STEMI patients without PCI (100.0% vs. 75.0% P = 0.001), and the survival rate in STEMI patients received PCI was higher than those without it (89.7% vs. 75.0%, P = 0.088).

In STEMI patients, the expression of circulating miR-92a is up-regulated. PCI therapy may suppress such up-regulation. Survival rate is higher in patients showing down-regulation of miR-92a. Our data suggest that miR-92a might have potential for diagnosis and therapeutic application in the prevention and treatment of STEMI.