13th International Congress
THE "NEW FRONTIERS"
OF ARRHYTHMIAS 1998

January 24-31, 1998
Marilleva, Trento, Italy

RT-44

Assessment of behaviour QT dispersion after acute myocardial infarction

Walter Colazzo, Sergio De Blasi, Giovanni Cassati, Rolando Mangia, Michele Accogli, Pasquale Palma, Giancarlo Piccinni, Luigi Sansone, Ferdinando De Nuccio, Pierangelo Morciano, Antonio Galati.
Division of Cardiology, Hospital "Card. G. Panico", Tricase (LE), Italy

Abstract

Background. QT dispersion has been proposed as an indicator for ventricular arrhythmias after acute myocardial infarction. This study evaluates the behaviour of QT dispersion after acute myocardial infarction.

Methods. We determined in 10 patients with acute infarction the QT dispersion on 12-lead ECG perfomed on day 1st (ECG I), 7th (ECG II) and 15th (ECG III); QT dispersion was defined as the difference between the maximal and minimal QT intervals occurring in any of the 12 leads.

Results. The values of QT dispersion (mean ± SD) were: 64 ± 24 ms for ECG I, 82 ± 33 ms for ECG II and 90 ± 27 ms for ECG III. At 15th day-ECG 8 patients had a QT dispersion longer than 80 ms.

Conclusions. QT dispersion increases during the first 15 days after acute myocardial infarction. We suggest to evaluate the arrhythmic risk by means of QT dispersion by ECG performed at least 2 weeks after the myocardial infarction onset.

Key Words

QT interval
QT dispersion, acute myocardial infarction, OA