A prospective study of myocardial damage in electrical injuries

A prospective study was undertaken to determine the incidence of possible myocardial damage following electrical injury. Sixteen patients with non-flash electrical injuries were assessed utilizing serial electrocardiograms (ECG), creatine kinase (CK) and MB creatinine kinase (MB-CK) determinations, technetium 99m stannous pyrophosphate scans, and 24-hour Holter monitors. Results showed that five patients (31%) had abnormal ECG, nine patients (56%) had elevations of the MB-CK isoenzyme, and one patient had a transiently abnormal Holter monitoring. No patient had an abnormal technetium pyrophosphate cardiac scan. Of the nine patients with elevated MB-CK levels, only two had abnormal ECG. None of the patients had clinical evidence of cardiac dysfunction. These results indicate a poor correlation of elevated MB-CK levels with ECG abnormalities, and demonstrate a relatively low incidence of myocardial damage in association with electrical injuries.