Heart fatty acid binding protein and myoglobin after reperfusion of acute myocardial infarction

Objective - The aim of this study was to disclose the release kinetics of heart fatty acid binding protein (HFABP) and myoglobin in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) reperfused by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) and to determine the influence of the quality of coronary flow post PPCI on the release properties of these markers. Methods and results - Twenty-four patients with AMI who underwent successful PPCI and had no evidence of reocclusion within the first 120 minutes were studied. Serum myoglobin and HFABP levels at baseline and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after reperfusion were measured. Corrected TIMI frame count (CTFC) in the relevant vessel post PPCI was used to categorize patients in group I (CTFC > 21) and group 2 (CTFC ≤ 21). Biomarker ratios at each sampling point were calculated by dividing the serum level of the biomarker at the specific sampling time by its baseline level. Baseline myoglobin and HFABP levels rose significantly at 15 minutes (153 ± 251.5 μg/L vs. 904.3 ± 542.6 μg/L, 10.9 ± 8 μg/L vs. 17.8 ± 9.1 μg/L, both P < 0.0001) after successful PPCI. Group 2 patients tended to have higher biomarker ratios at each time point as compared to group I. Conclusions - Successful PPCI for AMI results in a significant increase of both HFABP and myoglobin levels within 15 minutes of vessel opening and the quality of flow in the infarction-related artery post PCI as evaluated by CTFC does not influence the release kinetics of these biomarkers.