Horizontal ECG in acute anterolateral myocardial infarction.
BACKGROUND
The present study aims to compare the amount of ST segment changes recorded by horizontal electrocardiography (hECG) with standard ECG (sECG) in patients with acute anterior and/or lateral ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).


METHODS
Consecutive eligible patients (n = 58) who were diagnosed with acute anterior and/or lateral STEMI were included in the study. After recording simultaneous sECG and hECG by placing precordial leads (V3-6) horizontally on the left 4th intercostal space, ST segment changes were compared.


RESULTS
The mean ST segment changes (mV) on hECG were significantly higher than sECG in V4 (0.27 ± 0.2 vs. 0.21 ± 0.21, p = 0.001), V5 (0.21 ± 0.17 vs. 0.12 ± 0.16, p < 0.001) and V6 (0.09 ± 0.1 vs. 0.04 ± 0.12, p < 0.001), respectively. When hECG and sECG were compared in patients with BMI < 30 kg/m(2), mean ST segment changes (mV) on hECG were significantly higher than sECG in V4 (0.29 ± 0.21 vs. 0.21 ± 0.24, p = 0.004), V5 (0.22 ± 0.19 vs. 0.13 ± 0.17, p < 0.001) and V6 (0.11 ± 0.11 vs. 0.04 ± 0.11, p < 0.001), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Mean ST segment changes in patients with anterior and/or lateral STEMI were significantly higher and easily detectable on hECG compared with sECG. We suggest that hECG be used in conjunction with sECG to diagnose anterior and lateral wall STEMI in cases of diagnostic doubt.
Department of Cardiology, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey. okanerdogan@yahoo.com.
Okan
O
Erdogan
Department of Cardiology, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
Bahar
B
Dalkilic
Department of Cardiology, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
Alper
A
Kepez
D000368:Aged; D018780:Body Surface Potential Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000072657:ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
Acute myocardial infarction; Body surface mapping; Diagnosis; ECG; ST segment elevation