Siren M, Koivula K, Eskola MJ, Martiskainen M, Huhtala H, Laurikka J, Mikkelsson J, Järvelä K, Niemelä KO, Punkka O, Karhunen PJ, Nikus KC. The prognostic significance of a positive or isoelectric T wave in lead aVR in patients with acute coronary syndrome and ischemic ECG changes in the presenting ECG - Long-term follow-up data of the TACOS study.
J Electrocardiol 2020;
60:131-137. [PMID:
32361088 DOI:
10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2020.04.009]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
A positive T wave in lead aVR (aVRT+) is an independent prognostic predictor of cardiovascular mortality in the general population as well as in cardiovascular disease.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
We evaluated the prognostic impact of aVRT+ in an ECG recorded as close to hospital discharge as possible in acute coronary syndrome patients (n = 527). We divided the patients into three categories based on the findings in the admission ECG: ST elevation, global ischemia and other ST/T changes.
RESULTS
In the whole study population, and in all the three ECG subgroups, the 10-year all-cause mortality rate was higher in the aVRT+ group than in the aVRT- group. In Cox regression analysis, the age and gender adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for aVRT+ to predict all-cause mortality in the whole study population was 1.43 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-1.83; p = 0.004). To predict cardiovascular mortality, the age and gender adjusted HR for aVRT+ was 1.54 (95% CI 1.14-2.07; p = 0.005) in the whole study population and 2.07 (95% CI 1.07-4.03; p = 0.032) in the category with other ST/T changes.
CONCLUSION
In ACS patients with or without ST elevation, but with ischemic ST/T changes in their presenting ECG, a positive or isoelectric T wave in lead aVR in an ECG recorded in the subacute in-hospital stage is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality during long-term follow-up. Clinicians should pay attention to this simple ECG finding at hospital discharge.
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