Abstract: Objective To explore the clinical efficacy and outcomes of thrombus aspiration in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). Methods A total of 664 cases of STEMI patients undergoing PPCI from Tianjin Chest Hospital from January 2013 to March 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups: primary PCI after thrombus aspiration group and conventional primary PCI without thromobus aspiration group. The base- line clinical characteristics, and the procedure of percutaneous coronary intervention were similar between two groups. The TIMI flow, LVEF, one-month outcomes and 12-month outcomes were compared between two groups. Results There were significant higher TIMI flow, LVEF in primary PCI after thrombus aspiration group than those of conventional primary PCI without thromobus aspiration group (P＜ 0.05). At one-month followup, there were no significant differences in major adverse cardiac events (MACE) between the two groups. At 12-month follow- up, there were no significant differences in cardiovascular death, recurrent myocardial infarction and new hospitalization between two groups. The incidence of recurrent angina was significantly higher in non-aspiration group than that in aspiration group (P＜ 0.05). There were the better survival functions without MACE in aspiration group than that of control group. Conclusion Thrombus aspiration, as an adjunctive method to primary PCI for STEMI, may improve TIMI flow, have beneficial effects on LVEF and reduce the incidence of recurrent angina at 12-month follow up.

Key words: angioplasty, transluminal, percutaneous coronary, myocardial infarction, thrombus aspiration, ST segment elevation myocardial infarction