Paucity of subtle myocardial injury after angioplasty delineated with MB CK

To determine the extent to which PTCA elicits subtle myocardial ischemic injury, 28 patients were studied prospectively. The presence of myocardial injury was assessed by analysis of frequent (q4 hours) serial samples of MB CK, a sensitive and specific marker of myocardial injury. Immediately prior to angioplasty, baseline 12‐lead ECGs and blood samples for evaluation of total CK and MB CK were obtained. Additional ECGs were obtained immediately after the procedure and on the following morning, and serial samples for total and MB CK were obtained at 4‐hour intervals for 24 hours. Patients requiring cardiac surgury within 24 hours after PTCA were excluded. Samples (n = 203) were assayed by the glass bead method. Total CK rose by more than 20 IU/L in only five patients, four of whom had received intramuscular premedication. Mean MB CK was 3.4 77± 6.1 IU/L at 12 hours and 4.1 ± 4.7 IU/L at 24 hours compared to 3.1 ± 1.7 IU/L prior to angioplasty. Only one patient with obvious infarction had a value for MB CK above the normal range. Thus, uncomplicated PTCA is not accompanied by objectively detectable subtle myocardial injury.