QTc intervals at discharge after acute myocardial infarction and long-term prognosis.

QTc intervals were measured retrospectively in 46.3 survivors of AMI with a mean age of 65 years. The measurement was made one at discharge from hospital. Patients with anterior infarcts had significantly longer QTc intervals than those with inferior or uncertain infact localization. A weak but significant correlation was found between S-GOT maximum and QTc interval. Patients with ventricular arrhythmias in the CCU had longer QTc intervals. Patients with a poor long-term prognosis had significantly shorter QTc intervals. This finding was explained by digitalis therapy. Among patients without bundle branch block, digitalis and quinidine, those below 66 years of age who died within the first six months tended to have longer QTc intervals than the survivors. It is concluded that measurements of QTc interval at discharge have no long-term predictive value. This factor may, however, have some bearing on the short-term prognosis in younger patients without therapy which affects the QTc interval.