Prognostic value of echocardiographic evaluation of septal function in acute anteroseptal myocardial infarction.

To determine the clinical usefulness of echocardiography in patients with anteroseptal myocardial infarction, echocardiograms were performed within 24 hours of admission on 40 patients with acute transmural anteroseptal myocardial infarction. Twenty-one patients had normal septal motion and septal systolic thickening, and 19 patients had abnormalities of one or both of these measurements. Of the 21 patients who had normal septal motion and thickening, only five developed congestive heart failure, none developed bundle branch block, and none died. Of the 19 patients with abnormal septal motion and/or thickening, 17 developed congestive heart failure (p less than .001), seven developed bundle branch block (p less than .001), and six died (p less than .001). Therefore, (1) electrocardiographic evidence of septal infarction does not correlate with abnormalities of the portion of septum seen on echocardiogram, and (2) patients with anteroseptal myocardial infarction and abnormalities of the septum on echocardiogram have more complications and a higher in-hospital mortality rate. These patients may have more extensive myocardial infarction predisposing to pump failure and possibly involving the conduction system.