Pre-Treatment With Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Protects Against Ischemic Left Ventricular Dysfunction and Stunning Without a Detected Difference in Myocardial Substrate Utilization

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine whether pre-treatment with intravenous glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)(7-36) amide could alter myocardial glucose use and protect the heart against ischemic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction during percutaneous coronary intervention. BACKGROUND: GLP-1 has been shown to have favorable cardioprotective effects, but its mechanisms of action remain unclear. METHODS: Twenty patients with preserved LV function and single-vessel left anterior descending coronary artery disease undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention were studied. A conductance catheter was placed into the LV, and pressure-volume loops were recorded at baseline, during 1-min low-pressure balloon occlusion (BO), and at 30-min recovery. Patients were randomized to receive an infusion of either GLP-1(7-36) amide at 1.2 pmol/kg/min or saline immediately after baseline measurements. Simultaneous coronary artery and coronary sinus blood sampling was performed at baseline and after BO to assess transmyocardial glucose concentration gradients. RESULTS: BO caused both ischemic LV dysfunction and stunning in the control group but not in the GLP-1 group. Compared with control subjects, the GLP-1 group had a smaller reduction in LV performance during BO (delta dP/dTmax, -4.3 vs. -19.0%, p = 0.02; delta stroke volume, -7.8 vs. -26.4%, p = 0.05), and improved LV performance at 30-min recovery. There was no difference in transmyocardial glucose concentration gradients between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-treatment with GLP-1(7-36) amide protects the heart against ischemic LV dysfunction and improves the recovery of function during reperfusion. This occurs without a detected change in myocardial glucose extraction and may indicate a mechanism of action independent of an effect on cardiac substrate use. (Effect of Glucgon-Like-Peptide-1 [GLP-1] on Left Ventricular Function During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention [PCI]; ISRCTN77442023).