The relationship between long-term statin usage and myocardial injury related to percutaneous coronary interventions evaluated by high-sensitivity troponins

OBJECTIVE
Myocardial injury related to percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) might adversely affect the prognosis of patients with coronary artery disease. Our study aimed to investigate the effects of long-term statin usage on myocardial injury related to elective PCI.

METHODS
In our study, total 102 patients were included and evaluated in 3 groups based on the statin usage before PCI, “potent statin” group (n=26), “weak statin” group (n=23), and “statin free” group (n=53). The occurrence of the procedural complications was identified (n=31). The myocardial injury was determined by serial high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) testing at 0th, 2nd, 4th, and 12th hour of the procedure.

RESULTS
The increase in hsTnT values in the 2nd and 4th hour was significantly lower in the potent statin group than in the other 2 groups (p=0.008 and p=0.009, respectively). In patients with procedural complications, the increase in hsTnT levels at the 2nd, 4th, and 12th hour were also lower in the potent statin group (p=0.032, p=0.019, and p=0.006, respectively). Also, in patients with procedural complications, hsTnT levels exceeding the myocardial infarction limit at the 4th and 12th hour were lower in the potent statin group (p=0.039 and p=0.006, respectively).

CONCLUSION
These results show that elective PCI related myocardial injury was less frequent in patients who were using high-dose statins. This result was more pronounced in patients who developed complications during the procedure.