Table 1 Inclusion criteria

For inclusion in the study the subject should fulfill the following criteria:

a) Male or non-pregnant female

b) Age ≥ 18 years old and <80 years old

c) Consecutive patients who should be hospitalized with documented evidence of STEMI receiving PCI

d) All patients have persistent ⩾ 0.2 mV ST-segment elevation in two or more contiguous precordial leads or ⩾ 0.1 mV ST elevation in two or more contiguous limb leads, with one of the following: persistent chest pain or elevation of biomarkers of myocardial necrosis

e) Time from chest pain onset to receiving PCI <12 h

f) Persistent chest pain <12 h

g) Provision of informed consent prior to any study-specific procedures.