Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) are acknowledged as independent risk factors in different high-risk populations. We investigated the effects of arterial stiffness on LV function at 3 and 6 months after acute myocardial infarction. Changes in LVEF were evaluated in 136 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with ST-segment elevation coronary syndrome and treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Doppler guided by 2D ultrasound was used to measure carotid-femoral PWV. According to tertiles of arterial stiffness, a significant correlation between higher PWV and worse recovery in LVEF was found (3 months EF change: 9.9 ± 5.0% vs 5.9 ± 3.4 vs 3.8 ± 1.6; p < 0.001 and 6 months EF change: 18.5 ± 7.0% vs 11.5 ± 5.2 vs 7.3 ± 3.0; p = 0.002). In the multivariate analysis PWV showed the ability to predict the outcome in terms of EF recovery at 3 and 6 months also after any correction for age and other variables (β = -0.566, p < 0.001). Arterial stiffening may result in a less effective recovery of LV function after acute myocardial infarction.
Keywords: Arterial stiffness; Left ventricular systolic function; Myocardial infarction; Pulse wave velocity; STEMI.