Diagnostic Performance of Selected Baseline Electrocardiographic Parameters for Prediction of Left Ventricular Remodeling in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of selected baseline electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters as predictors of left ventricular remodeling (LVR) in patients with a first ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: The study was performed as a single-center cohort study, with 249 patients (74.7% males) included in the final analysis. Nine baseline ECG parameters were evaluated, with respect to occurrence of LVR 6 months after STEMI (defined as an echocardiography-assessed relative >20% increase in end-diastolic left ventricular volume compared with the value at discharge from hospital). Results: The baseline ECG predictors of LVR, identified in univariate analysis, included the number of leads with ST-segment elevation (odds ratio (OR) 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–1.38, p = 0.0212), number of leads with Q-waves (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.07–1.37, p = 0.0033), sum of ST-segment elevation (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00–1.08; p = 0.0253) and maximal ST-segment elevation (OR 1.14; 95% CI 1.00–1.29; p = 0.0446). When added to demographic, clinical and angiographic data, the number of leads with ST-segment elevation (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.01–1.36; p = 0.0413), number of leads with Q-waves (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.01–1.32; p = 0.0354) and the sum of ST-segment elevation (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00–1.08; p = 0.0331) successfully predicted development of LVR in multivariate logistic regression models. However, after inclusion of biochemical data in multivariate models, none of the electrocardiographic parameters, but increasing body weight, TIMI flow after PCI < 3 and higher maximal values of myocardial necrosis biomarker, was independently associated with the occurrence of LVR 6 months after STEMI. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates modest utility of pre-reperfusion ECG for the prediction of LVR occurrence after six months of STEMI.