Long-term Follow-up of Patients with Coronary Slow Flow: A Speckle-tracking Echocardiography Study

Background: While earlier studies have indicated that patients with coronary slow flow (CSF) tend to have favorable outcomes, long-term prospective data remain limited.Aim: This study aimed to assess the long-term clinical significance of CSF and its effect on cardiac function. Study Design:A 5-year clinical follow-up was conducted to assess cardiac function in patients with CSF using both conventional and speckle-tracking echocardiography.Methods: Nineteen patients diagnosed with CSF were included.Echocardiographic and strain parameters were recorded at baseline and re-evaluated after five years.Clinical follow-up was maintained throughout the study period.Results: No significant changes were observed in echocardiographic or longitudinal strain parameters, all of which remained within normal limits.During the follow-up, there were no cases of mortality, cardiac-related hospitalizations, or acute coronary syndromes. Conclusion:Patients with CSF demonstrated preserved cardiac function and a favorable long-term prognosis.Ongoing medical treatment likely played a role in maintaining these outcomes.