Effects of Early Coronary Reperfusion on the Time Course of Signal-averaged Electrocardiogram After Myocardial Infarction and Its Relation to Late Arrhythmic Events. Effects of Early Coronary Reperfusion on Signal-averaged ECGs.

The effect of early reperfusion on the time course of signal-averaged ECG was examined in 90 patients with myocardial infarction. Abnormal signal-averaged ECG disappeared more frequently (p < 0.05) and earlier in cases with early reperfusion than in those without. Serious arrhythmic events in the late phase (> 7 days) occurred in patients with abnormal signal-averaged ECG, but not in cases with early reperfusion. These results indicate that dynamic changes in tissue structure and the physiological state of viable muscles after early reperfusion produce different time courses for signal-averaged ECG. The risk of arrhythmic events among patients with abnormal signal-averaged ECG seems to be lower in cases with early reperfusion than in those without.