AIM  To study the role of endothelial microparticles (EMP) in evaluating acute myocardial infarction (AMI) lesion severity and predicting AMI prognosis.

  METHODS  90 AMI patients were divided into two groups according to GENESI scores: a mild coronary artery disease group (n = 48) and a severe lesion group (n=48). The patients were followed up for about 1 year and they were divided into two groups according to their prognosis: a group with good prognosis (n = 23) and a group with poor prognosis (with adverse cardiovascular events, n = 67). Plasma EMP levels (EMP defined as CD31+/CD146+) were detected using flow cytometry and the correlation between EMP and the severity and prognosis of coronary artery disease was analyzed using SPSS 17.0.

  RESULTS  Significant differences in EMP levels, LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction), and rate of no-reflow were found between the two groups. EMP, no reflow, and LVEF were independent factors related to the severity of coronary artery lesions. The follow-up for prognosis of AMI patients found lower LVEF, higher EMP values, high GENESI scores, more incidence of three-vessel lesions, and no-reflow in the group with unfavorable prognosis. Three-vessel lesions, EMP, GENESI scores and no-reflow were independent factors correlated with poor prognosis of AMI.

  CONCLUSION  Plasma EMP levels can be used in AMI patients for evaluating the severity of coronary heart disease lesions and reperfusion condition, and for predicting long-term prognosis of AMI.