The immediate and long-term effect of optimal balloon angioplasty on the absolute coronary blood flow velocity reserve. A subanalysis of the DEBATE study. Doppler Endpoints Balloon Angioplasty Trial Europe

There are limited data regarding the immediate and long-term effect of balloon angioplasty on the coronary flow reserve evaluated in a multicentre setting. A total of 86 patients with one-vessel disease and normal left ventricular function were analysed before and after optimal balloon angioplasty (diameter stenosis 2.5 (46% vs 23% and 36% vs 16%, respectively; P 2.5. This patient group consists of patients prone to develop restenosis, while other patients are characterized by a persistently low coronary flow reserve, probably secondary to disturbed autoregulation and/or diffuse mild coronary atherosclerosis. Coronary flow reserve alterations in patients without restenosis were related to changes in hyperaemic blood flow velocity, suggesting that this phenomenon relates to epicardial remodelling