Correlation between the electrocardiogram and regional wall motion abnormalities as detected by echocardiography in first inferior acute myocardial infarction.

We assessed the correlation between ST deviation in each of the six precordial leads and the presence of regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA) as assessed by transthoracic echocardiography in 109 patients with first inferior acute myocardial infarction. ST depression in lead V1 and V2 was associated with higher incidence of RWMA of the mid-posterior segment (p < 0.02 for both leads). The specificity of ST segment depression in leads V1 and V2 for RWMA in mid-posterior segment was 87 and 57%, and the sensitivity 36 and 70%, respectively. Patients with ST depression in leads V2 or V3 had worse global RWMA score than patients without ST depression in these leads (p = 0.009 and p = 0.025, respectively). Patients with an ST elevation in lead V1, but not in leads V2 or V3, had a higher prevalence of right ventricular involvement (p < 0.0001). ST elevation in lead V5 was associated with more frequent involvement of the apical portion of the inferior wall (p < 0.02), with specificity of 88% and sensitivity of 33%. Global RWMA score was significantly worse for patients with ST elevation than for patients with isoelectric ST in lead V5 (p = 0.024). ST elevation in lead V6 was associated with RWMA in the mid-posterior segment (p < 0.006), with specificity of 91% and sensitivity of 33%, and worse global RWMA score (p = 0.022). Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel