Frequency and Implication of ST-T Abnormalities on Hospital Admission Electrocardiograms in Patients With Type A Acute Aortic Dissection

Although patients with Stanford type A acute aortic dissection often show ST-T abnormalities at presentation, the frequency and implication of such findings remain unclear. To clarify these points, admission electrocardiograms from 233 patients admitted ≤6 hours after symptom onset who underwent emergency surgery for type A acute aortic dissection were studied. The prevalence of electrocardiographic (ECG) patterns was 51% for ST-T abnormalities (4% for ST-segment elevation and 47% for ST-segment depression and/or negative T waves), 30% for normal ECG findings or no significant ST-T changes, and 19% for ECG confounders such as bundle branch block or left ventricular hypertrophy. Patients with ST-T abnormalities had higher prevalence of pericardial effusion (48% vs 9% and 38%), cardiac tamponade (28% vs 3% and 18%), moderate or severe aortic regurgitation (28% vs 7% and 18%), shock on admission (34% vs 3% and 13%), coronary ostial involvement (14% vs 1% and 2%), concomitant coronary artery bypass surgery (9% vs 1% and 0%), and in-hospital mortality (11% vs 1% and 4%) compared with patients with normal ECG findings or no significant ST-T changes and those who had ECG confounders (p <0.05 for all). On multivariate analysis, ST-T abnormalities were the only independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 3.87, 95% confidence interval 1.02 to 14.7, p = 0.035). In conclusion, about 50% of patients who underwent emergency surgery for type A acute aortic dissection had ST-T abnormalities, characterized predominantly by ST-segment depression or negative T waves, in the acute phase. ST-T abnormalities were associated with more complicated features and independently predicted in-hospital death.