OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Shenfu injection (SFI) on indexes of heart function and myocardial fibrosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODSNinety-three AMI patients treated by PCI were randomly divided into two groups, 47 in the treatment group (treated by PCI plus 40 ml SFI intravenous injection, once a day for 7 days) and 46 in the control group (treated by PCI only). Levels of brain natriuretic poly peptide (BNP) and aminoterminal peptide of precollagen type III (NP III) were measured at different time points, i.e. immediately after admission (T1), and at 24th hour (T2) and 7th day (T3) after AMI onset in the two groups.

RESULTSThe proportion of TIMI 3 grade of front blood flow in AMI related vessels after PCI was insignificantly different in the two groups. The concentration of BNP of T2 was significantly higher than that of T1 in the two groups (P < 0.01), and it was higher in the control group than that in the treatment group (P < 0.01), while at T3, it was insignificantly different in the treatment group to that of T1 (P > 0.05), but in the control group, it was still significantly higher than that in the treatment group and that of T1 (P < 0.01). The levels of NP III the two groups were similar at T1 and T2 (P > 0.05). At T3, it showed an increase in the treatment group, but with no significant difference (P > 0.05) as compared with that at T1, but in the control group did markedly increase and showed significant difference as compared with that of T1 and that in the treatment group at T3 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEarly applying of SFI can protect myocardium from ischemia/reperfusion injury after AMI, ameliorate the degree of injury, improve heart function of patients and prevent myocardial fibrosis.