Renoprotective effect of remote ischemic postconditioning in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention

BACKGROUND: Whether upper arm remote ischemic postconditioning (RIPostC) exerts protection to kidney in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) remains unknown. METHODS: Sixty-four patients with STEMI were randomized to PPCI + RIPostC (n=29) and PPCI (n=35) groups. RIPostC consisting of 4 cycles of 5 minutes occlusion/reperfusion by cuff inflation/deflation of the upper arm was started within 1 minute after the first balloon dilatation. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected before PPCI and at 0.5, 8, 24, 48, and 72 hours after PPCI to detect serum creatinine (SCr) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB). Acute kidney injury (AKI) rate and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were calculated. The transthoracic echocardiography was performed 7 days after PPCI to assess left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). RESULTS: The patients in the PPCI + RIPostC group had a lower AKI rate compared with those in the PPCI group (P=0.04). The eGFR after PPCI increased in the PPCI + RIPostC group compared to the PPCI group (P<0.01). The peak of CK-MB concentration in the PPCI + RIPostC group was significantly lower than that in the PPCI group (P<0.01). The area under the curve of CK-MB decreased in the PPCI + RIPostC group compared with that in the PPCI group. LVEF in the PPCI + RIPostC group was significantly higher than that in the PPCI group (P=0.04). CONCLUSION: Upper arm RIPostC exerts renal and cardiac protection following cardiac ischemia–reperfusion in patients with STEMI.