Sensitivity and specificity of frequently used electrocardiographic criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with anterior wall myocardial infarction.

Electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) strongly predicts mortality in patients with myocardial infarction (MI). However, the validity of LVH voltage criteria in this context has not been assessed. Reviewing the coded database of echocardiographic studies performed at one institution, we performed a retrospective analysis of 49 patients who had anterior akinesis on the echocardiogram and anterior wall MI on the electrocardiogram. Results showed that, compared with the sensitivities and specificities of the electrocardiographic voltage criteria in historical cohorts, Cornell criteria were less sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of LVH in patients with anterior wall MI. The sensitivity was reduced in the presence of an associated lateral wall MI, and the specificity was reduced in the absence of a lateral wall MI (overall sensitivity in case of anterior wall MI, with or without an associated lateral wall MI, 21% vs 41%, P = 0.049; overall specificity 84% vs 98%, P = 0.003). All criteria, except for S in V(1) + R in V(5) or V(6) >3.5 mV, had a significantly reduced specificity in the case of anterior wall MI not associated with lateral wall MI, and all criteria, except for R in V(6) > R in V(5), had reduced sensitivity in the presence of a lateral wall MI. In conclusion, anterior wall MI reduces the sensitivity and the specificity of the most commonly used LVH voltage criteria.