Increased adhesiveness of peripheral blood leukocytes corresponds to the appearance of expansion following anterior wall myocardial infarction

Abstract

Summary: The appearance of increased leukocyte adhesiveness/ aggregation as an inflammatory marker in the peripheral blood of patients with anterior wall myocardial infarction was monitored. Of the 26 patients included in the study, 7 had infarct expansion as shown by an enlargement of left ventricular end-diastolic volume. The percent of' aggregated leukocytcs in the peripheral blood of patients with expansion (29.7 r IS.S%) was significantly higher (p = 0.01 ) than that obtained from patients with no expansion (18.5 k 6.8%). The Itick of significant differences in peak creatine kinase concentrations between patients with and without expansion suggests that infarct size is not necessarily the main deternunant lor the appearance of expansion; an increased inflammatory reaction could be a contributory factor.