QRS score as an indicator of myocardial viability after thrombolytic therapy.
Electrocardiographic estimation of myocardial injury has, in some studies, correlated poorly with the extent of nuclear perfusion defects at rest and with changes in the left ventricular ejection fraction after acute reperfusion therapy. The authors investigated 16 patients with fatty acid scintigraphy and with the Selvester-Wagner QRS score 2 weeks and 3 months after an anterior myocardial infarction. Segmental uptake on tomographic scans was semiquantitatively classified as low, moderate, or normal. The analysis included a total of 707 segments. QRS scores and the number of segments with low fatty acid uptake did not significantly change during the follow-up period, although the number of segments with moderate fatty acid uptake decreased from 15.9 +/- 5.1 to 12.4 +/- 5.7 (P < .05). The QRS score correlated significantly (rho = .56-.64) with low fatty acid uptake, but not with moderate fatty acid uptake. It is concluded that the QRS score is related to the degree of permanent myocardial injury, even after thrombolysis.
Walamies
M A
MA
Department of Clinical Physiology, Tampere University Hospital, Finland.
Siitonen
S L
SL
Koskinen
M O
MO
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D005227:Fatty Acids; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents