Role of aldosterone in long-term left ventricular remodelling after acute myocardial infarction: the REMI study

Aims Whether aldosterone levels after myocardial infarction (MI) are associated with mid- and long-term left ventricular (LV) remodelling in the era of systematic use of renin- angiotensin system inhibitors is uncertain. We prospectively investigated the relationship between aldosterone levels and mid- and long-term LV remodelling in patients with acute MI. Methods and results Plasma aldosterone was measured in 119 patients successfully treated by primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty for a first acute ST-elevation MI (STEMI) 2 - 4 days after the acute event. LV volumes were assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in the same timeframe and 6months later. LV assessment was repeated by TTE 3 - 9 years after MI (n= 80). The median aldosterone level at baseline was 23.1 [16.8; 33.1] pg/ml. In the multivariable model, higher post-MI aldosterone concentration was significantly associated with more pronounced increase in LV end-diastolic volume index (TTE: beta +/- standard error [SE]: 0.113 +/- 0.046, p = 0.015; CMR: beta +/- SE: 0.098 +/- 0.040, p = 0.015) and LV end-systolic volume index (TTE: beta +/- SE: 0.083 +/- 0.030, p = 0.008; CMR: beta +/- SE: 0.064 +/- 0.032, p = 0.048) at 6-month follow-up, regardless of the method of assessment. This result was consistent also in patients with a LV ejection fraction (LVEF) >40%. The association between baseline plasma aldosterone and adverse LV remodelling did not persist at the 3-9-year follow-up evaluation. Conclusion Aldosterone concentration in the acute phase was associated with adverse LV remodelling in the medium term, even in the subgroup of patients with LVEF >40%, suggesting a potential role of the mineralocorticoid system in post-MI adverse remodelling. Plasma aldosterone was no longer associated with LV remodelling in the long term (NCT01109225).