Predictive value of ST-segment deviation in aVR in patients suffering from acute coronary syndrome: A retrospective cohort study

Changes in the ST-segment in aVR of electrocardiogram have been used to predict the morbidity of left main and/or 3-vessel disease (LM/3-VD) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, the association with patient prognosis has rarely been reported. A total of 274 patients diagnosed with ACS were retrospectively evaluated following allocation into 1 of 3 groups: the ST-segment elevation (STE) group >= 0.05 mV, ST-segment depression (STD) group >= 0.05 mV, and the Isoelectric group in aVR. A comparison of clinical characteristics, coronary angiography results, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and GRACE risk score was made. Patients in the STE and STD groups were older and had a lower LVEF, a greater number of MACE and higher GRACE risk score, compared with patients in the isoelectric group. Patients in the STE group had significantly greater morbidity due to LM/3-VD than did the non-STE groups. In addition, as the amplitude of STE in aVR increased, the number of MACE, GRACE risk score, and the incidence of LM/3-VD increased. Furthermore, after adjusting for other clinical factors, multivariate statistical results indicated that STE >= 0.05 mV in aVR was the only predictor of LM/3-VD, whereas STD >= 0.05 mV was not. It was found that STE or STD >= 0.05 mV in aVR was an independent predictor of MACE. STE >= 0.05 mV in aVR is associated with LM/3-VD. Furthermore, ST-segment deviation in aVR may have prognostic value of MACE and associated with higher GRACE risk scores in patients with ACS.