Clinical and procedural predictors and short-term survival of the patients with no reflow phenomenon after primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Abstract Objectives In the present study, we analysed the incidence of no-reflow phenomenon, its clinical and procedural predictors, and associated in-hospital outcomes for the patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Background No-reflow phenomenon after primary PCI is a procedural complication associated with adverse post-procedure outcomes. Methods Data for this study were extracted from global registry, NCDR®, the site of National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (NICVD), Karachi from July 2017 to March 2018. The demographic, clinical, and procedural characteristics, and in-hospital outcomes were analysed for the patients with and without no-reflow after primary PCI. Results Of total of 3255 patients, no-reflow phenomenon was found in 132 (4.1%) patients and it was associated with significantly higher in-hospitality mortality (6.8% vs. 2.9%; p = 0.01), cerebrovascular accident (1.5% vs. 0%; p  Conclusions In this selected group of patients, the no-reflow phenomenon after primary percutaneous coronary intervention is not that uncommon. It is associated with an increased risk of adverse post-procedure hospital course including mortality. Pathophysiology of the no-reflow phenomenon is complex and opaque, however, it can be predicted based on certain clinical and procedural characteristics.