Background:
Circulating ketone bodies (KB) are increased in patients with heart failure, corresponding with increased utilization of KB as a cardiac fuel. Whether circulating KB are increased in patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and whether this is associated with infarct size is unknown.
Methods:
KB were measured in 379 non-diabetic participants of the Glycometabolic Intervention as Adjunct to Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (GIPS) III trial (Clinicaltrial.gov Identifier: NCT01217307). Non-fasting plasma concentrations of the KB beta-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, acetone were measured at presentation, 24 hours and 4 months after STEMI presentation using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Associations of circulating KB with myocardial infarct size and left ventricular ejection fraction (both detected with MRI at 4 months after STEMI) were determined using multivariable linear regression analyses.
Results:
Circulating KB were higher at baseline (total KB 520 [315-997](median [IQR], μmol/L), compared to 206 [174-246] at 24 hours and 166 [143-201] at 4 months (
P
<0.001 for all)). KB at 24 hours were positively associated with enzymatic infarct size, HbA1C and beta-blocker use. KB at 24 hours were independently associated with MRI outcomes at 4 months. Higher KB was associated with larger myocardial infarct size (total KB: standardized β=0.17, 95%-confidence interval (CI) (0.04-0.31),
P
=0.012) and lower ejection fraction (standardized β=-0.15, 95%-CI (-0.29- -0.009),
P
=0.037).
Conclusion:
Circulating KB are increased in patients with STEMI and are independently associated with myocardial infarct size and left ventricular function after 4 months of follow-up. The increase in circulating KB may reflect maladaptive changes of myocardial metabolism during the acute phase.
Prognostic significance of quantitative measures of myocardial infarct pathology using native T1 mapping, in survivors of ST-elevation myocardial infarction
