Prognostic value of the admission electrocardiogram in patients with unstable angina/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with very early revascularization.
OBJECTIVE
The goals of this study were to determine if very early revascularization might ameliorate the adverse prognosis associated with ST-segment depression in patients with unstable angina/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.


METHODS
In this prospective cohort study, 1450 consecutive patients with unstable angina/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were stratified by the presence of ST-segment depression, T-wave inversion, or no changes on the admission electrocardiogram (ECG). All patients underwent coronary angiography and, if appropriate, revascularization within 24 hours after admission. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality.


RESULTS
During up to 59 months of follow-up, the in-hospital mortality rate was 2.1% (19/895) in patients with no ECG changes, 4% (6/136) in those with ST-segment depression, and 0.2% (1/419) in those with T-wave inversion. The cumulative death rate at 36 months was 8.0% (n = 49) in patients with no ECG changes, 19.9% (n = 18) in patients with ST-segment depression, and 5.1% (n = 13) in patients with T-wave inversion (P = 0.0001 by log-rank). After adjustment for potential cofounders, ST-segment depression (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1 to 4.6) and T-wave inversion (HR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.96) were associated with long-term mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
ST-segment depression and T-wave inversion on the admission ECG were important predictors of outcome in patients with unstable angina/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing very early revascularization. In contrast to the considerable mortality seen in patients with ST-segment depression, T-wave inversion was associated with a more favorable outcome.
Mueller
Christian
C
University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland. chmueller@uhbs.ch
Neumann
Franz-Josef
FJ
Perach
Wolfgang
W
Perruchoud
André P
AP
Buettner
Heinz J
HJ
D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome