Effect of age and relation to mortality on serial changes of vasoactive intestinal peptide in acute myocardial infarction

This study shows that the plasma concentration of VIP increases very early after AMI; it was significantly higher during the first 2 weeks of AMI in survivors and younger patients (<60 years) than in those who died and in older (>60 years) patients. The plasma levels in the latter groups were constantly lower than normal. The lack of VIP activation may contribute to a worse prognosis in aged subjects. These findings suggest that VIP is involved in neuroendocrine activation occurring in AMI and could be a further marker of the course of AMI.