Prospective Hospital-Based Evaluation of Left Ventricular Dyssynchrony Following ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction at a Tertiary Care Centre

Background: Mechanical systolic LV dyssynchrony is associated with poor outcomes in patients with cardiac failure. However, its role in predicting prognosis after acute MI has been remotely explored. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess left ventricular dyssynchrony following ST elevated myocardial infarction. Material and Methods: 50 patients with acute STEMI who were selected from the cardiology department at SMS Medical College in Jaipur over the course of a year participated in this hospital-based observational study. Fifty healthy individuals of the same age and gender made up the control group. Echocardiography was performed on each patient, and their baseline data were recorded. Results: In the STEMI group, 56% of patients smoked, 42% had hypertension, 32% had diabetes, and 34% had dyslipidaemia. LVEDD, LVESD, A-wave velocity, and left atrial (LA) diameters were significantly greater in the STEMI group than in the control group (3.76 cm vs. 3.28 cm, P <0.001; 3.70 cm vs. 2.93 cm, P = 0.001; and 5.32 cm vs. 4.92 cm, P <0.001, respectively). In contrast, the STEMI group had significantly lower LVEF and E/A ratios (49.34% vs. 65.48%, P <0.001; 1.02 vs. 1.32, P <0.05). Conclusion: Left ventricular dyssynchrony may be used to identify patients at high risk for the development of LV remodeling after infarction which can help in providing early intervention and thereby decreasing the cardiac morbidity.

Keywords: STEMI, LVEDD, LVESD, LA, LV Dyssynchrony.