Effect of postconditioning on infarction size, adverse left ventricular remodeling, and improvement in left ventricular systolic function in patients with first anterior ST‑segment elevation myocardial infarction

INTRODUCTION A key method in the treatment of ST‑elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is recanalization of the infarct‑related artery, but this causes heart reperfusion injury. One of the methods to reduce this injury is postconditioning. The available data on the efficacy of this method are contradictory. 
OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to determine the safety of postconditioning as well as its effect on infarction size, improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and adverse LV remodeling during a 3‑month follow‑up.
PATIENTS AND METHODS The study involved 39 patients with first anterior STEMI (aged 58 ±10 years) up to 12 hours from the onset of symptoms. They were randomly assigned to a traditional‑reperfusion group (n = 21) or to a postconditioning group (n = 18). The area at risk (AAR) was assessed angiographically. LV remodeling and LVEF were evaluated using echocardiography at 6 days and at 3 months. The infarction size was defined on the basis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3 months.
RESULTS In a univariate logistic regression analysis, postconditioning did not affect the improvement of LVEF (odds ratio [OR], 1.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34–7.7; P = 0.52) or the development of adverse LV remodeling (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.15–2.53; P = 0.5). Moreover, there were no significant differences in infarction size between the groups as measured by MRI after adjustment for the AAR, time to reperfusion, and ST‑segment elevation prior to percutaneous coronary intervention.
CONCUSIONS Postconditioning is a safe method but its application did not affect the volume of the infarction as well as did not improve LVEF or the development of adverse LV remodeling in a 3‑month follow‑up.