What Do We Know About the “Malignant Form” of Early Repolarization?

• Published in: Journal of the American College of Cardiology Vol. 62; no. 10; pp. 863 - 868
• Main Authors: Adler, Arnon, MD, Rosso, Raphael, MD, Viskin, Dana, Halkin, Amir, MD, Viskin, Sami, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 03.09.2013; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Arrhythmias, Cardiac - complications; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - physiopathology; Athletes; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular; early repolarization; Electrocardiography; Electrocardiography - methods; Heart; Heart attacks; Humans; Internal Medicine; Medical sciences; Morphology; Mortality; Multiple tumors. Solid tumors. Tumors in childhood (general aspects); Population; Prognosis; Risk Assessment; Studies; Tumors; ventricular fibrillation; Ventricular Fibrillation - complications; Ventricular Fibrillation - physiopathology; VF; ventricular fibrillation; electrocardiogram; myocardial infarction; ECG; athletes; MI; ER; early repolarization; Repolarization; Cardiovascular disease; Early; Circulatory system; Malignant tumor; Cardiology; Knowledge; Cancer
• ISSN: 0735-1097; 1558-3597
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.05.054

There is an urgent need to identify electrocardiographic characteristics that differentiate the “benign early repolarization pattern” from “malignant early repolarization.” In a previous paper, we considered the different electrocardiographic elements of the early repolarization pattern and analyzed how they confer important prognostic information. In the present article, we review more recent information regarding the importance of the contour of the ST segment, with special emphasis on the currently termed malignant form and its value for risk stratification in early repolarization.