Periprocedural myocardial injury in the setting of elective percutaneous coronary intervention is associated with increased risk of death, recurrent infarction, and revascularization at follow-up. Despite excellent epicardial blood flow, impaired microcirculatory reperfusion may persist and increases the risk of vascular recurrences. Post-percutaneous coronary intervention induced-oxidative stress is one of the potential mechanisms accounting for impaired perfusion.
Fifty-six patients were enrolled in a prospective, single-center, randomized study comparing 1 g vitamin C infusion (16.6 mg/min, over 1 h before percutaneous coronary intervention) versus placebo.
At the baseline, Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) myocardial perfusion grade <2 was observed in 89 % and in 86 % of patients randomized to the placebo or vitamin C infusion group, respectively (p > 0.05). After percutaneous coronary intervention, these percentages decreased in the placebo group (32 % ) and in greater measure in the vitamin C group (4 % , p < 0.01). Complete microcirculatory reperfusion (TIMI myocardial perfusion grade = 3) was achieved in 79 % of the vitamin C-treated group compared with 39 % of the placebo group (p < 0.01); 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (p < 0.002) and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha (p < 0.02) plasma levels significantly increased in the placebo group while they were significantly reduced in the vitamin C-treated group (p < 0.0001). TIMI myocardial perfusion grade changes from the baseline showed significant correlation with 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (p < 0.006) or 8-iso-prostaglandin F2alpha (p < 0.01) plasma levels changes.
In patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention, impaired microcirculatory reperfusion is improved by vitamin C infusion suggesting that oxidative stress is implicated in such a phenomenon.