Role of plasma glucose level on myocardial perfusion in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients

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.