An inspection of therapeutic hypothermia preceding coronary reperfusion in patients with a cardiogenic shock complicating anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Background: We retrospectively investigated our hypothesis that pre-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedural therapeutic hypothermia may have clinical advantages in patients with a profound cardiogenic shock complicating anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods: Of 483 consecutive patients treated with PCI for a first anterior STEMI including 31 patients with aborted sudden cardiac arrest between 2009 and 2013, a total of 37 consecutive patients with an anterior STEMI complicated with profound cardiogenic shock defined as the presence of hyperlactic acidemia (serum levels of lactate >4 mmol/L) with mechanical circulatory support were identified. An impaired myocardial tissue-level reperfusion (angiographic myocardial blush grade 0 or 1) and in-hospital mortality were evaluated in accordance with the presence or absence of pre-PCI procedural therapeutic hypothermia. Results: Thirteen patients were treated with pre-PCI procedural therapeutic hypothermia and 24 were not inducted with therapeutic hypothermia. Five patients with and 18 without pre-PCI procedural therapeutic hypothermia impaired myocardial tissue-level reperfusion (38% vs. 75%, p = 0.037). A total of 26 patients with in-hospital death (overall in-hospital mortality 70%) were composed of 6 with and 20 without therapeutic hypothermia (in-hospital mortality 46% vs. 83%, p = 0.028). A multivariate analysis demonstrated a significant association of pre-PCI procedural therapeutic hypothermia (p = 0.021) with in-hospital survival benefit. Adverse events associated with therapeutic hypothermia were not found in 12 patients who completed this treatment. Conclusions: The present study may imply a crucial possibility of clinical benefits of pre-PCI procedural therapeutic hypothermia in patients with a cardiogenic shock complicating anterior STEMI.