title: [Extension of necrosis in the acute phase of myocardial infarct. Clinical picture and prognosis].
abstract: In a consecutive series of 297 patients prospectively evaluated at the time of admission for an acute myocardial infarction, the extension of necrosis was found to occur in 16,4% of the cases. The electrocardiographic site of extension was the same as during the initial episode in over 75% of cases suggesting the possibility of a similar pathogenetic mechanism and the involvement of the same coronary district. Patients in Killip class I were respectively 61% and 45% before and after the extension, in class II 33% and 14%, in class III 6% and 14%, in class IV 0 and 27% (p less than 0,001). In-hospital mortality was 16,1% without and 38,8% with extension (p less than 0,001). The peak level of CPK-MB was an average of 110 +/- 45 U/1 before and 96 +/- 34 after the extension (p = N.S.). It was not possible to recognize the patients at risk of extension according to the traditional clinical parameters (age, sex, site of necrosis, transmural involvement, residual angina, Norris index and Killip class before the extension). It is concluded that the protection of the myocardium at risk is of primary importance in the setting of acute myocardial infarction, regardless of the possibility of saving areas already compromised at the time of admission or the hypothetical "border zone".
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D009336:Necrosis; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
vernacular_title: La estensione della necrosi nella fase acuta dell'infarto miocardico. Quadro clinico e prognosi.