ST-segment monitoring with continuous 12-lead ECG improves early risk stratification in patients with chest pain and ECG nondiagnostic of acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic importance of ischemic episodes detected by ST-segment monitoring with continuous 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) in a nonselected coronary care unit (CCU) population with chest pain and ECG nondiagnostic of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

BACKGROUND

Patients with chest pain and ECG nondiagnostic of AMI constitute a heterogeneous group concerning both diagnosis and prognosis. Continuous 12-lead ECG is a rather new method not thoroughly studied in this population.

METHODS

The ST-segment monitoring with continuous 12-lead ECG was performed for 12 h in 630 consecutive patients admitted to CCU due to chest pain and a nondiagnostic ECG, i.e., no ST-segment elevations. An ST-episode was defined as a transient ST-segment depression or elevation of at least 0.10 mV. The median follow-up time was six months.

RESULTS

A total of 176 ST-episodes occurred in 100 (15.9%) patients. The median duration and maximal ST-segment deviation in patients with ST-episodes were 80 min and 0.20 mV, respectively. Presence of ST-episodes predicted worse outcome concerning cardiac death and cardiac death or myocardial infarction (MI) (log-rank p < 0.001). At 30 day follow-up procedure, 10% versus 1.5% died from cardiac causes or had an MI in the group with and without ST-episodes, respectively. In a multivariate analysis, only troponin T > or = 0.10 microg/l and the presence of ST-episodes came out as independent predictors of cardiac death or MI.

CONCLUSIONS

Continuous 12-lead ECG monitoring provides prognostic information on-line and considerably improves early risk stratification in patients with ECG nondiagnostic of AMI and symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome.