Relation of QT dispersion to infarct size and left ventricular wall motionin anterior wall acute myocardial infarction

Previous studies have shown that QT dispersion increases during acute myoca rdial infarction (AMI). However, the relation of QT dispersion to infarct s ize and left ventricular (LV) function in AMI has not yet been fully clarif ied. Accordingly, this study was conducted to elucidate this relation at 1 month after anterior wall AMI, We examined 94 patients with first anterior wall AMI (less than or equal to 6 hours) who underwent coronary arteriograp hy at admission, 1 month, and 6 months after AMI, and left ventriculography at 1 and 6 months after AMI. Mean QT dispersion on the chronic phase (abou t 1 month after AMI) electrocardiogram was 79 +/- 33 ms. There were no sign ificant correlations between QT dispersion and peak creatine phosphokinase levels, LV ejection fraction, and regional wall motion in the infarct regio n at 1 month after AMI (r = 0.06, p = 0.57; r = 0.11, p = 0.29; r = -0.05, p = 0.63, respectively). In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that QT dispersion on the resting electrocardiogram at 1 month after anteri or wall AMI is unrelated to infarct size estimated by the peak creatine pho sphokinase level and the degree of LV dysfunction. (C) 1999 by Excerpta Med ica, Inc.