Background: Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, little is known about the association between MMP-9 and myocardial no-reflow. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of MMP-9 in the culprit coronary artery as a predictor of no-reflow in patients with ST-elevation AMI.
Methods: Ninety patients with ST-elevation AMI who underwent emergency percutaneous coronary intervention were consecutively recruited in this study. Blood samples were obtained from the extraction catheter placed distal to the culprit lesion at the beginning of percutaneous coronary intervention. No-reflow was defined as a coronary thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade ≤2 after vessel reopening or thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow 3 with a final myocardial blush grade ≤2.
Results: No-reflow was observed in 25 patients (27.8%). Using multiple logistic regression analysis, local MMP-9 levels (odds ratio [OR] = 3.356; confidence interval [CI]: 1.441-5.881; P = 0.007) were found to be a significant risk factor of no-reflow together with lesion length (OR = 6.985; CI: 2.574-11.533; P = 0.009) and time to balloon (OR = 2.143; CI: 1.216-5.901; P = 0.042).
Conclusions: Elevation of MMP-9 level in the culprit coronary artery may predict no-reflow in patients with ST-elevation AMI.