Objective: Left ventricular (LV) remodeling may occur following myocardial infarction. Estimate the likelihood of remodeling from the state of the infarcted may with speckle tracking echocardiography (STE). Research powerful predictors of outcomes in patients after myocardial infarction (MI) continue now. Increased pulse wave velocity (PWV), a non-invasive index of arterial stiffness, predicts cardiovascular event in different clinical conditions, but no study on the relationship between PWV and improvement of LV ejection function (EF) in patients with acute MI.

Methods: 97 patients with acute MI and primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (67% male, age 61.5±9.8 years (M±SD), 57 (58.7%) with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), smokers 29%, arterial hypertension 80%, blood pressure 129±8/79±8 mmHg, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 50.6±3.4%. Arterial stiffness was assessed using applanation tonometry. Global longitudinal peak strain (GLPS) by STE was calculated in a 16-segment LV model as the average segmental value on the basis of three apical imaging planes. Mann-Whitney and Spearman tests were considered significant if p<0.05.

Results: Baseline GLPS >18% was not detected in any patient. GLPS increased from 14.3±2.3 to 15.6±2.4%, p<0.04 in 4 weeks after PCI. GLPS normalized (>18%) in 24 (25%) patients. Achieved GLPS differed significantly in patients without vs with normalization (14.5±1.8 vs 18.6±0.3%, p<0.02). Mean carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) decreased from 11.5±1.9 to 10.1±2.3%, p <0.05. Patients without vs with GLPS normalization were older (63.2±9.1 vs 56.6±11.4 years, p <0.04), more frequent male (71 vs 33%, χ²=7.8; p <0.01), smokers (83 vs 50%, χ²=6.5; p <0.05), STEMI (60 vs 67%, χ²=4.6; p <0.03), had higher diastolic BP (84±7 vs 80±8 mmHg, p <0.02), higher baseline PWV (12.9±6.9 vs 9.9±2.1 m/s, p <0.03). EF increased non-significant between groups. A significant correlation was found between decreased Δ speckle tracking and higher PWV (r=−0.21, p <0.05).

Conclusions: Arterial stiffening may result in a less effective recovery of LV function after acute MI. Measuring PWV values after acute MI important information could be obtained about LV function recovery.