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Updated: Feb 8, 2026
Postconditioning with Lactate-enriched Blood for Cardioprotection in ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Published on: May 28, 2019
Role of plasma glucose level on myocardial perfusion in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients
Martino Pepe1, Domenico Zanna1, Alessandro Cafaro2
1Cardiovascular Diseases Section, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (DETO), University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
Insights
High blood sugar in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients significantly impairs coronary blood flow velocity. This study found a direct linear relationship between admission glucose levels and reduced coronary flow, highlighting hyperglycemia as a critical risk factor.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Medical Research
Background:
- Hyperglycemia is common in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients.
- Elevated blood glucose levels in STEMI are linked to adverse outcomes.
- Understanding the impact of glucose on coronary circulation is crucial for STEMI management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between admission plasma glucose level (PGL) and coronary artery flow velocity in STEMI patients.
- To assess how hyperglycemia affects coronary blood flow, specifically in the context of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI).
Main Methods:
- 149 STEMI patients undergoing pPCI were enrolled.
- Patients were categorized based on admission PGL (< or >140 mg/dl) and diabetes history.
- Coronary flow velocity was assessed using corrected TIMI frame count (cTFC).
Main Results:
- Hyperglycemic STEMI patients exhibited significantly higher cTFC in both culprit and non-culprit vessels.
- Diabetes history also negatively impacted cTFC in both vessel types.
- A positive linear relationship was observed between admission PGL and cTFC across the entire study population.
Conclusions:
- Admission plasma glucose levels significantly affect coronary blood flow in STEMI patients.
- Hyperglycemia, even in non-diabetic patients, impairs coronary flow, suggesting it as an independent risk factor.
- A novel positive linear relationship between PGL and coronary flow velocity (cTFC) was established.
Aims:
Hyperglycemia is frequent in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and is associated with adverse outcome. Aim of our study was to evaluate the correlation between admission plasma glucose level (PGL) and coronary arteries flow velocity.
Methods:
We enrolled 149 STEMI patients successfully treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). The study population was divided into two groups based on PGL (< or >140 mg/dl) and on history of diabetes, and the groups compared in terms of corrected TIMI frame count (cTFC).
Results:
Hyperglycemic patients had a significantly higher cTFC in both the culprit (p < 0.0001) and non-culprit vessel (p: 0.0002); diabetes history impairs as well cTFC of the culprit (p < 0.0001) and non-culprit vessel (p: 0.0001). Within the subpopulation of diabetic patients hyperglycemic ones showed higher cTFC in both the culprit (p 0.0013) and non-culprit vessel (p: 0.0006). Moreover in the whole population cTFC values of both arteries increase linearly with the increment of admission PGL.
Conclusions:
Admission PGL affects coronary flow of both culprit and non-culprit vessel. The impairment of coronary flow is also demonstrated in known diabetic patients, suggesting to consider hyperglycemia an additional risk factor. We finally demonstrated for the first time a positive linear relationship between PGL and cTFC.
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