T-vector direction differentiates postpacing from ischemic T-wave inversion in precordial leads

• Published in: Circulation (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 111; no. 8; pp. 969 - 974
• Main Authors: SHVILKIN, Alexei, HO, Kalon K. L, ROSEN, Michael R, JOSEPHSON, Mark E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 01.03.2005
• Subjects: Aged; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiac Pacing, Artificial - methods; Cardiology. Vascular system; Coronary Vessels - physiology; Diseases of the peripheral vessels. Diseases of the vena cava. Miscellaneous; Electrocardiography - methods; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Myocardial Ischemia - pathology; Myocardial Ischemia - physiopathology; Myocardium - pathology; Necrosis; Pacemaker, Artificial; Prospective Studies; Retrospective Studies; Ventricular Function - physiology; Electrocardiography; Cardiovascular disease; Inversion; Ischemia; T wave; pacing
• ISSN: 0009-7322; 1524-4539
• DOI: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000156463.51021.07

Postpacing precordial T-wave inversion (TWI), known as cardiac memory (CM), mimics ischemic precordial TWI, and there are no established ECG criteria that adequately distinguish between the two. On the basis of CM properties (postpacing sinus rhythm T vector approaching the direction of the paced QRS vector), we hypothesized that CM induced by right ventricular pacing would manifest a TWI pattern different from that of precordial ischemic TWI, thereby discriminating between the two. T-wave axis, polarity, and amplitude on a 12-lead ECG during sinus rhythm were compared between CM and ischemic patients. The CM group incorporated 13 patients who were paced in DDD mode with short atrioventricular delay for 1 week after elective pacemaker implantation. The ischemic group consisted of 47 patients with precordial TWI identified among 228 consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for an acute coronary syndrome. The combination of (1) positive T(aVL), (2) positive or isoelectric T(I), and (3) maximal precordial TWI>TWI(III) was 92% sensitive and 100% specific for CM, discriminating it from ischemic precordial TWI. CM induced by right ventricular pacing results in a distinctive T-vector pattern that allows discrimination from ischemic precordial T-wave inversions regardless of the coronary artery involved.