The use of HPLC to evaluate the variations of blood coronary adenosine levels during percutaneous transluminal angioplasty

Although it is well established that adenosine is released during acute ischemia, little is known of the behaviour of adenosine levels following treatment of coronary lesion by percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Using high performance liquid chromatography, we measured intracoronary adenosine levels before and 5 min after PTCA in ten patients with one-vessel disease and a significant (70%) coronary stenosis. Adenosine levels decrease in all patients after PTCA. Nevertheless, more studies are now necessary to evaluate the possible predictive value (with regard to restenosis) of coronary adenosine levels after PTCA.