Intracoronary prostaglandin E1 plus streptokinase in acute myocardial infarction

Fourteen patients with acute myocardial infarction (duration of chest pain 5 +/- 2 hours) received intracoronary infusion of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and streptokinase. Intracoronary PGE1 was followed by intracoronary streptokinase in 10 patients (group A), with successful recanalization in all patients. Of 4 patients in whom recanalization failed with intracoronary streptokinase given first (group B), 2 had successful recanalization after addition of intracoronary PGE1. Immediately after successful recanalization, left ventricular ejection fraction increased from 50 +/- 9% to 62 +/- 10% (p less than 0.0008), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure decreased from 20 +/- 10 to 16 +/- 10 mm Hg (p less than 0.05) and stroke volume index increased from 34 +/- 10 to 44 +/- 12 ml/m2 (p less than 0.02). Infarct segment shortening improved from 9 +/- 5 to 18 +/- 4% (p less than 0.0002). Transient hypotension in 1 patient was the only complication. Follow-up catheterization in recanalized patients at 2 to 10 days showed maintained improvement in left ventricular global and infarct segment function. Reocclusion occurred in 1 patient. Thus, intracoronary infusion of PGE1 was effective in establishing reperfusion in all patients when followed by streptokinase and was associated with immediately improved left ventricular global and regional function. PGE1 deserves further evaluation in acute myocardial infarction.