Multifactorial prediction of arrhythmic events after myocardial infarction. Combination of heart rate variability and left ventricular ejection fraction with other variables.

Autonomic dysfunction has recently been shown to identify postinfarction patients at a high risk of arrhythmic events. Therefore, the predictive characteristics of heart rate variability and the left ventricular ejection fraction in combination with other prognostic variables--mean heart rate, late potentials, and ventricular ectopic beat frequency greater than 10/hour (VE10)--were examined in 417 postinfarction patients. The heart rate variability index was the most important factor for the stratification of patients at high risk of arrhythmic events after myocardial infarction and optimum stratification was based on the combination of the heart rate variability index with late potentials or with frequent ventricular ectopic beats.