Left ventricular remodeling is associated with the severity of mitral regurgitation after inaugural anterior myocardial infarction--optimal timing for echocardiographic imaging.

BACKGROUND: Although mitral regurgitation (MR) has been associated with an increased risk of death and heart failure after myocardial infarction (MI), the relationship between post-MI MR and left ventricular (LV) remodeling has not been entirely clarified. In addition, the optimal timing for assessing MR after MI remains unknown. METHODS: Post-MI MR was assessed by Doppler echocardiography at hospital discharge (baseline) and after 3 months in 261 patients with an inaugural anterior MI. We studied LV remodeling during a 1-year period and clinical follow-up after 3 years, according to MR severity at baseline and at 3 months. RESULTS: Left ventricular remodeling was demonstrated as an increase in LV end-diastolic volume from 56 +/- 15 mL/m(2) at baseline to 63 +/- 19 mL/m(2) at 1 year (P < .0001). MR severity at baseline was not significantly associated with LV remodeling. By contrast, MR severity at 3 months was a strong indicator of LV remodeling. There was a graded increase in the proportion of patients with a >20% increase in LV end-diastolic volume between baseline and 1 year according to MR severity at 3 months (no MR: 21%, mild MR: 32%, moderate/severe MR: 60%) (P = .008). Both MR at baseline and at 3 months were associated with death or rehospitalization for heart failure by univariate analysis (P = .014 and P < .0001, respectively). By multivariable analysis, MR at baseline was not an independent predictor of adverse outcome (P = .66). By contrast, MR at 3 months was independently associated with adverse outcome with a hazard ratio of 2.23 (1.02-4.91 [P = .04]). CONCLUSIONS: After an inaugural anterior MI, MR is associated with LV remodeling and adverse clinical outcome. For prognostic purpose, the optimal timing for assessing MR is the chronic post-MI stage rather than the early post-MI period.

Stress hyperglycaemia is an independent predictor of left ventricular remodelling after first anterior myocardial infarction in non-diabetic patients.

AIMS: Stress hyperglycaemia (SH) is associated with adverse outcome in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) but the mechanisms underlying this association are unknown. Our hypothesis was that SH on admission for acute MI may be associated with left ventricular (LV) remodelling. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analysed LV remodelling in 162 non-diabetic patients with anterior MI. SH was defined as a glycaemia on admission >or=7 mmol/L. Systematic echocardiographic follow-up was performed at 3 months and 1 year after MI. The changes in end-diastolic volume (EDV) and end-systolic volume (ESV) from baseline to 1 year were 11.4 +/- 16.5 and 6.4 +/- 12.4 ml/m(2), respectively, in patients with SH vs. 1.9 +/- 11.1 and 0.2 +/- 8.5 ml/m(2), respectively, in patients without SH (both P < 0.0001). When LV remodelling was defined as a >20% increase in EDV, it was observed in 46% patients in the SH group vs. 19% patients in the no SH group (P = 0.0008). By multivariable analysis, baseline wall motion score index (P = 0.001) and SH (P = 0.009) were independently associated with changes in EDV. SH was an independent predictor of LV remodelling [adjusted OR: 3.22 (1.31-7.94)]. CONCLUSION: SH is a major and independent predictor of LV remodelling after anterior MI in non-diabetic patients.