The de winter electrocardiogram pattern is a transient electrocardiographic phenomenon that presents at the early stage of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND

The de Winter electrocardiogram (EKG) pattern is a novel sign that indicates left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion in patients with chest pain. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and clinical characteristics of patients with this pattern.

HYPOTHESIS

The de Winter EKG pattern is an special anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) equivalents without obvious ST-segment elevation.

METHODS

This retrospective study included all patients with anterior myocardial infarction admitted between January 2011 and December 2017. Patients were categorized into two groups: those with the de Winter EKG pattern and those with typical STEMI.

RESULTS

Of 441 patients, 15 (3.4%) with anterior myocardial infarction had the de Winter EKG pattern. Similar to those with typical STEMI, the majority of patients with the de Winter EKG pattern had ST-segment elevation, pathologic Q wave, and absence of R wave at follow-up. The median time from recognition of this pattern until its evolution was 114 minutes. The ST-segment in leads V3R to V5R and leads V7 to V9 were normal or slightly depressed when a typical de Winter EKG pattern was noted in leads V1 to V6. The culprit lesion was mainly in the proximal LAD or the diagonal branch. Patients with this EKG pattern responded poorly to thrombolytic therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

We believe that the de Winter EKG pattern may be a sign of ischemia and presents at the early stage of STEMI rather than being an independent pattern. In patients with this pattern, a percutaneous coronary intervention rather than follow-up and thrombolytic strategy should be performed.