THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EXERCISE-INDUCED NORMALIZATION OF INVERTED T WAVE IN PATIENTS WITH OLD MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the significance of exercise- induced normalization of inverted T wave in patients with old myocardial infarction (MI). The subjects of the present study were eighteen patients with old anterior MI. The treadmill exercise test (TMT) was performed 8±1 months after MI onset. Based on the results of the TMT, these patients were divided into two groups: those who showed normalization of inverted T wave during exercise (Group Ⅰ), and those who did not show normalization of inverted T wave during exercise (Group Ⅱ). Between the two groups, the following elements were compared : patient characteristics (age, gender, max CK, coronary risk factor) ; left ventricular abnormal contraction segment (ACS) ; and coronary flow reserve (CFR), which represent coronary microvascular circulation as measured by the Doppler guide wire. There were no differences between the two groups in patient character- istics except the max CK. In Group Ⅰ, the max CK was higher (p＜0.05), the ACS was higher (p＜0.01), and the CFR was lower (p＜0.05), as compared with those of Group Ⅱ. According to these results, the area of MI was more extensive and the disturbance of coronary microcirculation was more remarkable in Group Ⅰ in comparison with Group Ⅱ. It is suggested that the exercise-induced normalization of inverted T wave can reflect the extent of MI and the disturbance of coronary microvascular circulation.