The impact of right ventricular involvement on the postdischarge long-term mortality in patients with acute inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Objectives: To investigate the long-term impact of right ventricular myocardial involvement (RVI) after acute inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods: A total of 1208 consecutive patients, who survived to discharge after hospitalization for acute inferior STEMI, were studied. Patients were divided into those with (n = 459) or without (n = 749) of RVI involvement, defined as ST-segment elevation >= 1 mm in V4R. Cardiac death by 3 years was the primary study end point. Results: By the end of follow-up, 207 (17.1%) patients had died. Patients with RVI were at similar risk for death at 3 years than those without (17.6% vs 16.8%, hazard ratio 1.1, 95% confidence interval 0.8-1.4, P=.79). By multivariate Cox analysis, several variables, but not RVI, were associated with the incidence of 3 years cardiac death. Conclusions: Right ventricular myocardial involvement does not portend any increased risk for long-term mortality, in patients who survived to discharge after hospitalization for acute inferior STEMI.