Anterior S-T segment depression in acute inferior myocardial infarction: indicator of posterolateral infarction

Although patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction often manifest S-T segment depression in precordial electrocardiographic leads, the pathophysiologic abnormalities associated with this finding are poorly understood. To examine this problem, electrocardiographic findings on admission were compared with results of radionuclide cineangiography performed within 38 hours of the onset of symptoms in 25 patients with inferior infarction. Summation of S-T depression in leads V1 through V4 permitted the separation of patients into two groups: Group A (11 patients with 0.20 mV or less of S-T depression) and Group B (14 patients with 0.45 vM or more of S-T depression). The radionuclide cineangiogram revealed inferior wall dysfunction in all patients. Additional posterolateral dysfunction was seen in 13 patients, all in Group B. Patients in Group B had a relatively larger infarction (peak creatine kinase Units - 756 +2- 358 in Group A versus 1,566 +/- 983 units in Group B, p less than 0.01) and greater functional impairment (ejection fraction - 45 +/- 12 in Group A versus 33 +/- 12 in Group B, p less than 0.01). The relation between precordial S-T segment depression and posterolateral dysfunction appears to be largely independent of electrocardiographic evidence of "true posterior infarction." Thus moderate or severe anterior precordial S-T depression in patients with acute inferior infarction is a sensitive and specific indicator of relatively extensive myocardial damage, primarily involving the posterolateral region.