title: [Changes in high amplification ECG during the 2 years following the acute phase of myocardial infarction].
abstract: Late potentials have been reported 1 to 15 days after the onset of myocardial infarction but the evolution during long-term follow-up is not so well known. In order to determine if the signal averaged electrocardiogram remained stable or if it was necessary to repeat the investigation during a period of 2 years, 90 patients underwent 2 recordings on average 3 weeks after the onset of the infarct and then 2 years later. After the first recording, 16 patients (18%) had late potentials. The second recording was performed under the same conditions by the same operator. Globally, the signal averaged electrocardiogram recorded by Simson's method remained remarkably stable (83/90). It was rare to observe late potentials occurring for the first time after the initial recording (4 cases, 5%) in this study. It was more common to observe their disappearance (3 cases, 19%). No explanation could be found except in one case. These possible long-term changes in the signal averaged electrocardiogram suggest that the investigation should only be repeated in patients with abnormalities on the initial recording. Some authors have reported a better prognosis in patients in whom late potentials disappeared but this was not verified in this study.
authors.affiliation: Cardiologie A, CHU Brabois, Vandoeuvre.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brembilla-Perrot
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Terrier de la Chaise
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mechkour
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000368:Aged; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011379:Prognosis
vernacular_title: Evolution de l'ECG haute amplification sur deux ans après la phase aiguë d'un infarctus du myocarde.