Intracoronary administration of abciximab acutely increases flow through culprit vessels of patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

To the Editor: We read with interest the article by Wohrle et al1 reporting the reduction of major coronary events with the intracoronary compared with the intravenous administration of abciximab in patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions. Some cases of rapid reduction of coronary thrombus after intracoronary administration of abciximab have been previously reported. Yet, to date, it has not been determined whether such dethrombosis translates into an improvement of coronary blood flow. To address this issue, we have measured, before and after intracoronary abciximab (0.25 mg · kg−1) administration, corrected Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) frame count (CTFC) in a cohort of patients with acute coronary syndromes (acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction or IIIB Braunwald class unstable angina) referred to our catheterization laboratory for urgent percutaneous coronary intervention. To enter the analyses, patients had to have …