Temporal Variations in Microvolt T‐Wave Alternans Testing after Acute Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND: Microvolt T-wave alternans (TWA) have been accepted as a tool for assessing vulnerability to ventricular tachyarrhythmias. There is lack of data concerning prospective temporal variations in TWA measurements after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We analysed the temporal patterns of TWA in post-AMI patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: TWA tests were performed <1 month (TWA_early) and 6 months (TWA_late) after AMI in 51 consecutive patients treated with successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Twenty seven patients (53%) had anterior wall infarctions and 24 (47%) had inferior/lateral wall infarctions. TWA was measured during a treadmill manual exercise protocol and defined as positive, negative and indeterminate. Group A included patients with TWA negative in both tests and Group B included those with TWA abnormal (positive or indeterminate) at first or second determinations. TWA_early was negative, positive and indeterminate in 38 (74.6%), 8 (15.6%) and 5 (9.8%) patients, respectively, whereas TWA_late was negative, positive and indeterminate in 30 (58.9%), 14 (27.4%) and 7 (13.7%) patients, respectively. TWA_early was classified as normal in 74.6% and abnormal in 25.4% of the cases, and TWA_late was normal in 58.9% and abnormal in 41.1%. TWA tests were concordant in 36 patients (70.6%) and discordant 15 patients (29.4%). At TWA_late, 10 patients (19.6%) changed from TWA negative to TWA abnormal and 4 patients (7.8%) from TWA abnormal to TWA negative. After TWA_early+TWA_late, 45% of the patients had 1 test classified as abnormal. Left ventricular ejection fraction was <50% in 22% of Group A and 52% of Group B (P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: In the era of primary PCI, temporal changes in TWA measurements may occur frequently during the first 6 months post-AMI. These findings should be considered in risk stratification strategies following AMI.