Abstract
BACKGROUND: Electrocardiogram (ECG) findings in patients with anterior wall myocardial infarction (MI) complicated by ventricular septal rupture (VSR) have rarely been studied. METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective study among patients with anterior MI complicated by VSR over the past ten years. The presence of ST-segment elevation (STE) in inferior leads and new onset of complete right bundle branch block (RBBB) on ECG were studied for the prediction of in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Among the 85 patients enrolled, 45 (52.9%) were male, with a median age of 70 years. Sixty-five patients (76.5%) died in the hospital, and the remaining 20 patients (23.5%) had improved conditions and were discharged. Inferior STE was present in 35 patients (41.2%), including 32 patients in the death group and 3 patients in the survival group (P = 0.005). New-onset RBBB was present in 25 patients (29.4%), with 22 patients in the death group and 3 patients in the survival group (P = 0.103). Multivariate logistic regression showed that inferior STE was an independent predictor of in-hospital death in patients with anterior MI and VSR (OR: 14.488; 95% CI: 1.708-122.887; P = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with anterior MI complicated by VSR, inferior STE was associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality.