Impact of the Total Ischemia Time on No-Reflow Phenomenon in Patients with ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND: No-reflow phenomenon after primary percutaneous coronary intervention is a common condition affecting the outcomes; therefore, studying its predictive factors is helpful in identifying patients at high risk. Our objective was to investigate the impact of the total ischemia time on no-reflow phenomenon and its correlation to thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade after primary percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS: This study was conducted on 545 patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction who underwent PPCI; the patients were divided into two groups according to the incidence of no-reflow, TIMI flow ≤2 was considered no-reflow. The time interval from chest pain onset to balloon dilatation was assessed and correlated to thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade. RESULTS: The incidence of no-reflow was 13.9%; thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow ≤2 occurred in 76 patients. Multivariate regression analysis showed that advanced age >65 years, the total ischemia time ˃6 h, high thrombus burden, and cardiogenic shock were the independent predictors of no-reflow phenomenon. Spearman’s correlation analysis showed a significant negative correlation between the total ischemia time and thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade (r = −351 and P-value = .001). CONCLUSION: The time delay is the main limitation of achieving thrombolysis in myocardial infarction 3 flow after primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The total ischemia time has a significant negative correlation with thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.