Relationship between no-reflow phenomenon and serotonin levels in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction who underwent primary percutaneous intervention.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to investigate the effects of serotonin, which is a severe vasoconstrictor agent, on the occurrence of no-reflow phenomenon.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional controlled study, 40 patients, admitted to our clinic with chest pain in the first 12 hours and underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention because of acute myocardial infarction were enrolled. Patients with TIMI 0 grade basal flow and normal post-procedure flow were included in group 1 and patients with flow grade TIMI < or =were enrolled in group 2. To measure the serotonin levels, blood samples were collected from the coronary ostium before the procedure.

RESULTS

In group 1, there were 25 patients (20 males, 5 females) and the mean age was 58+/-11 years; in group 2 there were 15 patients (13 males, 2 females) and the mean age was 62+/-8 years. The mean serotonin level in platelet in group 1 was 476+/-208 ng/109 platelet and in group 2-542+/-273 ng/109 platelet. The difference was not statistically significant (p=0.39). When we compared the serum serotonin levels, it was 41.4+/-40.8 ng/ml for group 1, but 66.7+/-45.7 ng/ml for group 2. Although the serum serotonin levels were higher in group 2, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.07).

CONCLUSIONS

There was no effect of serotonin level in the development of no-reflow, in patients to whom primary coronary percutaneous intervention was applied.