Sensitivity and specificity of hemodynamic criteria in the diagnosis of acute right ventricular infarction.

To test the sensitivity and specificity of hemodynamic criteria for acute right ventricular infarction (RVI), two groups of patients with anatomically proved acute myocardial infarction and hemodynamic monitoring were studied. Group A included 22 patients acute RVI and group B, 38 with infarction confined to the left ventricle. In both groups, the closest relation between right atrial and pulmonary capillary pressures (RAP and PCP), as well as the presence of a severe noncompliant pattern (SNCP), were studied. A SNCP was defined as a y descent deeper than the x descent in RAP. RAP was equal to or higher than PCP in 10 patients from group A and in none from group B. In group B, a significant relation was found between RAP and PCP (r = 0.777, y = 0.43x + 0.18) (p less than 0.05), and the 95% confidence limits could be calculated. Above these limits, a closer relation between RAP and PCP was only found in patients with RVI. However, six patients with RVI showed an RAP/PCP relation within 95% confidence limits of group B (sensitivity 72.7%, specificity 100%). A SNCP was present in 12 patients with RVI and only in one without RVI (p less than 0.01) (sensitivity 54.5% and specificity 97.4%). When either criterion is present (close relation between RAP and PCP or SNCP), a high sensitivity (81.8%) and specificity (97.4%) can be achieved in the diagnosis of acute RVI.