Correlates of Residual Thrombus Burden in Successfully Thrombolysed Patients of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Receiving Dual Anti-Platelet Therapy

Background Variable residual thrombus ranging from minimal to a large thrombus is seen in the culprit vessel after successful thrombolysis in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Factors associated with residual thrombus in thrombolysed patients are poorly understood. The objective of our study was to determine the correlates of residual thrombus burden in successfully thrombolysed STEMI patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy. Methods In this prospective observational study of 60 successfully thrombolysed STEMI patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy, various clinical and coronary angiographic features like residual thrombus burden, residual stenosis, and thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grade in the infarct-related artery were evaluated. Results Out of 60 patients, 49 and 11 patients, respectively, had low and high thrombus burden. Thirty-seven (75.5%) patients amongst low-grade thrombus had TIMI 3 flow, whereas seven (63.6%) amongst high thrombus burden had TIMI 2 flow indicating an association between residual thrombus burden and TIMI flow grade, which was statistically significant (p=0.009). Further, amongst the 39 patients who were 45 years old, a statistically significant association of age and residual stenosis (p = 0.039) was observed. Conclusion In successfully thrombolysed STEMI patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy, there is an inverse correlation between residual thrombus burden and TIMI flow grade with high-grade residual thrombus associated with more frequent low TIMI flow. Further, significant residual stenosis is more common in patients older than 45 years of age, underscoring the necessity for invasive evaluation after successful thrombolysis.