Relation of Monocyte Count to Thrombus Burden in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Objective: To determine the association of monocyte count to thrombus burden in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (P-PCI). Method: This analytical, cross-sectional study was done in the Angiography Department of Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, Rawalpindi from October 30, 2020 to April 30, 2021. After taking ethical approval, 180 STEMI patients undergoing P-PCI who presented within 24 hours of symptoms were included using nonprobability convenient sampling. Informed written consent of the patients was obtained. Primary PCI with stenting was done and the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) scale was applied to determine intracoronary thrombus burden. The blood samples of patients were taken to estimate monocyte count. The data was analyzed through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Results: The frequency of thrombus burden was high in 71(39.4%) patients and low in 109(60.6%) patients. The monocyte count showed a significant difference in patients with high thrombus versus low thrombus burden. In low thrombus burden patients, the mean monocyte count was 0.49±0.50 and in high thrombus burden patients, the mean monocyte count was 0.64±0.48. The results of stratification of thrombus burden with age group showed significant p-value and with others showed non-significant p-value. Conclusion: The monocyte count is a reliable, inexpensive and simple-to-measure predictor of high thrombus burden in coronary arteries in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI