The relationship between acute phase serum amyloid A (SAA) protein concentrations and left ventricular systolic function in acute myocardial infarction patients treated with primary coronary angioplasty

BACKGROUND: Our study was planned to investigate the relationship between plasma levels of serum amyloid A protein (SAA) concentrations and the subsequent left ventricular systolic function in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treated with primary coronary angioplasty. METHODS AND RESULTS: Reperfusion by primary percutaneous coronary intervention was successful in 486 consecutive AMI patients who were admitted within 12 hours of onset. Plasma SAA concentrations were evaluated 24 hours after onset. Left ventricular (LV) function was serially determined by left ventriculography performed in the acute (soon after recanalization) and chronic phases (6 months after onset). (I) There was no significant correlation between SAA concentration and acute phase left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) or regional wall motion (RWM). (II) The SAA concentration was significantly correlated with both highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and the peak-CK value (hs-CRP: r = 0.69, P < 0.0001, peak-CK: r = 0.21, P = 0.0003). (III) SAA was significantly negatively correlated with both LVEF and RWM in the chronic phase (LVEF: r = -0.42, P = 0.001; RWM: r = -0.41, P = 0.007). (IV) The plasma level of SAA also showed a significant negative correlation with the differences in LVEF between the 2 stages (delta-LVEF) (r = -0.43, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: In the setting of AMI, plasma SAA concentrations may be closely related to subsequent left-ventricular systolic dysfunction.