title: T-wave normalization during follow-up after early and late mechanical recanalization of infarct-related artery with and without stent implantation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate T-wave normalization during the 6-month follow-up in the patients who underwent early or late mechanical recanalization of the infarct-related artery with and without stent implantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 248 consecutive patients were divided into the following groups: early angioplasty (≤24 hours) without (n=114) or with stents (n=6) and late angioplasty (>24 hours) without (n=114) or with stents (n=14). The changes in T-wave recovery, QRS score, and echocardiographic left ventricular ejection fraction were compared between the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 3 months, a greater percentage of patients in the group of early angioplasty with stents had again positive T wave than in the group of early angioplasty without stents (75% vs. 35%, P=0.05). After 6 months, all patients in the group of early angioplasty with stents had again positive T wave. A significant increase in left ventricular ejection fraction after 3 months was also observed only in the groups of early angioplasty, especially that with stents (30.0% [SD, 3.5%] vs. 38.4% [SD, 5.2%], P=0.008). However, there was no significant difference in the QRS score in this group comparing the data at discharge and after 3 months (5.4 [SD, 4.3] vs. 5.0 [SD, 1.9], P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The group of early angioplasty with stents showed the best recovery of T wave and left ventricular ejection fraction, but the QRS score did not change significantly from discharge to the 3-month follow-up, so the evolution of T wave corresponded to an improvement in ejection fraction at follow-up better than the evolution of QRS score.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Josvainių 2, 47144 Kaunas, Lithuania. eglekalin@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Eglė
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kalinauskienė
authors.forename: Albinas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naudžiūnas
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000601:surgery*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome