Timing of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in clinical trials evaluating cardioprotective therapies to reduce infarct size

Although the short- and long-term clinical outcomes of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has improved substantially over the last 2 decades the risk of future cardiovascular events, in particular heart failure, remains high [1]. The most important determinant of long-term clinical outcomes after STEMI is infarct size (IS). In a recent meta-analysis, IS measured within 1 month after primary percutaneous intervention (pPCI) was strongly associated with all-cause mortality and hospitalization for heart failure within 1 year [2]. There are currently no established therapies to reduce IS, with the exception of timely reperfusion by pPCI. Furthermore, ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) remains a major clinical problem in patients with STEMI...