Does a normal resting electrocardiogram predict left ventricular function in patients with coronary artery disease?
In patients with coronary artery disease, a normal resting ECG strongly predicts the absence of significant left ventricular asynergy, though it does not correlate with the extent of coronary vessel involvement.
Fifty-five consecutive patients with a normal resting electrocardiogram and coronary artery disease were examined to determine left ventricular function. Fifty-two (95%) had no evidence of left ventricular asynergy; 3 patients had only mild hypokinesis. Of this group of patients, 25 (47%) had one vessel disease, 17 (30%) had two vessel disease, and 13 (23%) had three vessel disease. Significant left ventricular asynergy was not found in patients with coronary artery disease and normal electrocardiograms. In addition, a normal electrocardiogram was not related to the number of coronary arteries involved.
Swartz et al. (1977) studied this question.