A prospective study of myocardial damage in electrical injuries.
A prospective study was undertaken to determine the incidence of possible myocardial damage following electrical injury. Sixteen patients with non-flash electrical injuries were assessed utilizing serial electrocardiograms (ECG), creatine kinase (CK) and MB creatinine kinase (MB-CK) determinations, technetium 99m stannous pyrophosphate scans, and 24-hour Holter monitors. Results showed that five patients (31%) had abnormal ECG, nine patients (56%) had elevations of the MB-CK isoenzyme, and one patient had a transiently abnormal Holter monitoring. No patient had an abnormal technetium pyrophosphate cardiac scan. Of the nine patients with elevated MB-CK levels, only two had abnormal ECG. None of the patients had clinical evidence of cardiac dysfunction. These results indicate a poor correlation of elevated MB-CK levels with ECG abnormalities, and demonstrate a relatively low incidence of myocardial damage in association with electrical injuries.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002058:Burns, Electric / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013667:Technetium; D016698:Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate; D014003:Tin Polyphosphates
D007527:Isoenzymes; D014003:Tin Polyphosphates; C017742:technetium Tc 99m stannous pyrophosphate; D016698:Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate; D013667:Technetium; D003402:Creatine Kinase