Effects of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty on coronary adenosine concentrations in humans

BACKGROUND: Even minimal amounts of adenosine is released during myocardial ischemia. Its role in coronary blood flow has been extensively studied, but little is known about its behaviour during percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTCA) in man. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using in situ samples the aim of this study was to evaluate adenosine plasma concentration before and after PTCA. Ten patients (8 men and 2 women, mean age 65 +/- 9 years) with a single stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) of at least 70% and 10 healthy volunteers (4 men and 6 women, mean age 55 +/- 9 years) were included in the study. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: We found that there is a close relationship between the degree of the stenosis and the adenosine concentrations in the great cardiac vein and in the LAD, and that after PTCA there is a drop in adenosine concentration downstream from the stenosis. This study confirms the crucial role of adenosine in coronary blood flow control.