Relationship of admission haematological indices with infarct-related artery patency in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary angioplasty

OBJECTIVE: Mean platelet volume (MPV), a marker for platelet reactivity, and white blood cell count (WBC-C), a marker for inflammation, have been shown to be predictive of unfavourable outcomes among survivors of ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The relationship of admission MPV and WBC-C with infarct-related artery (IRA) patency is not clear. We aimed to evaluate the value of admission MPV and WBC-C for the prediction of IRA patency, in patients with acute STEMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained on admission in 351 STEMI patients. The patients who had thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) 3 flow in initial angiography constituted the IRA patent group and others having less than TIMI 3 flow constituted the IRA occluded group. RESULTS: In 16% of the patients, IRAs were found to be patent on initial angiography. Patients in the IRA occluded group had higher admission MPVs (9.3+/-1.2 vs. 8.6+/-1.3 fl, P<0.001) and higher WBC-C (13.3+/-4.8 vs. 11.0+/-2.9, P=0.002) compared with patients in the patent IRA group. In regression analysis, WBC-Cs [beta, 0.131; odds ratio (OR), 1.140; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.043-1.245, P=0.004)] and MPV (beta, 0.519; OR, 1.680; 95% CI, 1.206-2.339, P=0.002) were found to be independent predictors of occluded IRA. The best cutoff value of MPV for predicting an occluded IRA was determined to be 8.55 fl with a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 60%. CONCLUSION: MPV and WBC-C at admission might be valuable in the prediction of IRA patency and in planning the need for adjunctive therapy to improve outcomes in patients with STEMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.