Key result
ST elevation predicts acute myocardial infarction with ~95% specificity on admission but low sensitivity.
Why the study?
The incidence and diagnostic accuracy of the earliest electrocardiographic changes in suspected myocardial infarction patients were unclear for guiding thrombolytic treatment.
Population
137 patients with suspected myocardial infarction in Grampian region
Comparison
Electrocardiographic changes at home versus on hospital admission
Design
Retrospective study of paired electrocardiograms from rural practices and hospitals
Authors
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ST elevation's low sensitivity cautions against ruling out AMI on single ECG; leaves open prospective validation of serial tracings in contemporary cohorts.
Observational (n=137)
Yes
Adams et al. (1993) conducted an observational in Suspected acute myocardial infarction (n=137). Electrocardiographic ST segment elevation vs. No ST segment elevation was evaluated on Sensitivity and specificity of ST elevation for predicting the final diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. Elevation of the ST segment is a transient abnormality with high specificity (86% at home, 95% on admission) but low sensitivity (55% at home, 53% on admission) for predicting acute myocardial infarction.
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