Relationship between the Fibrinogen/Albumin Ratio and Microvascular Perfusion in Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Elevated Myocardial Infarction: A Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Correct TIMI frame count (CTFC), myocardial blush grade (MBG), and ST-segment resolution (STR) are parameters used to evaluate reperfusion at the microvascular level in patients that have undergone primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). Fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) has been associated with thrombotic events in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and chronic venous insufficiency.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship of FAR with CTFC, MBG, and STR. Methods: The study included 167 consecutive patients who underwent successful pPCI for STEMI and achieved TIMI-3 flow. The cases were divided into two groups, high (>0.0765) and low FAR (≤0.0765), according to the cut-off value of this parameter in the receiver operator characteristic analysis (ROC). STR, CTFC, and MBG were used to evaluate myocardial reperfusion. P values<0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: CTFC value, SYNTAX score, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, low-density lipoprotein, glucose, and peak cTnT were significantly higher, whereas STR, MBG, and LVEF were lower in the high FAR group. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between the FAR and STR (r=-0.666, p<0.001), MBG (-0.523, p<0.001), and CTFC (r=0.731, p≤0.001). According to the logistic regression analysis, FAR, glucose, peak cTnT, and pain to balloon time were the most important independent predictors of MBG 0/1, CTFC>28, and STR<50%).ROC analysis revealed that the cut-off value of FAR≥0.0765 was a predictor of incomplete STR with a sensitivity of 71.9 % and a specificity of 69.8 %, MBG0/1 with a sensitivity of 72.6 % and a specificity of 68.6 %, and CTFC >28 with a sensitivity of 76 % and a specificity of 65.8 %.

CONCLUSIONS: FAR is an important independent predictor of microvascular perfusion in patients undergoing pPCI for STEMI.