text: Comparison of the usefulness of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide to other serum biomarkers as an early predictor of ST-segment recovery after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.
  Data on the ability of serum biomarkers to predict microvascular obstruction by ST-segment recovery after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is largely absent. Therefore, we determined the association between 5 serum biomarkers, obtained before emergency coronary angiography, and immediate ST-segment recovery in patients who had undergone primary PCI for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. We measured N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP), cardiac troponin T, creatinine kinase-MB fraction, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and serum creatinine from blood samples obtained through the arterial sheath at the start of primary PCI. Serial 12-lead electrocardiograms were recorded in the catheterization laboratory before arterial puncture and at the end of the PCI. ST-segment recovery was defined as incomplete if <50%. Of 662 included patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, 338 (51%) had incomplete ST-segment recovery. An elevated NT-pro-BNP level (> or = 608 ng/L) was the strongest predictor of incomplete ST-segment recovery (adjusted odds ratio 2.6, 95% confidence interval 1.6 to 4.1; p <0.001) compared to other serum biomarkers and clinical predictors. An elevated NT-pro-BNP level was more strongly predictive in patients without a history of coronary artery disease or hypertension (adjusted odds ratio 4.7, 95% confidence interval 2.4 to 9.2; p <0.001). NT-pro-BNP was the best contributor to both net reclassification (0.43; p <0.001) and integrated discrimination improvement (0.04; p <0.001) when added to a multivariate model with clinical predictors of incomplete ST-segment recovery. In conclusion, NT-pro-BNP was the strongest independent predictor of ST-segment recovery at the end of primary PCI for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction compared to the other serum biomarkers reflecting myocardial cell damage, renal function, and inflammation.