Postextrasystolic T wave change, that is, the change; both in voltage and direction of the T waves of the sinus beat immediately following extrasystoles (premature ventricular contraction) was reported for the first time by White in 1915.
The writers have studied on 77 patients with extrasystoles, which were disclosed by routine 12 lead electrocardiograms to evaluate their clinical significance on the ground of associated clinical sign and laboratory data.
Among the 77 patients with extrasystole, postextrasystolic T wave changes were noted in 40 patients, of which 34 patients (85%) had demonstrable organic heart disease and 6 patients (15%) were not associated with demonstrable heart disease. On the other hand, in 37 patients whose electrocariogram did not present with postextrasystolic T wave changes, only 13 patients (35%) had organic heart disease, and the remaining 24 patients (65%) did not have demonstrable heart disease. Postextrasystolic T wave change was more commonly noticed in organic heart disease (p<0.01).
The T wave changes, varied from minor alterations in amplitude to reversal of direction, were most commonly noticed in V3-4.
The average age of 40 patients showing T wave changes were 45 years for the male patients and 46 years for the female patients respectively, and they were consisted of 25 male and 15 female patients.
Of the 40 examples of postextrasystolic T wave changes, 22 followed ventricular extrasystoles (11 left ventricular origin, 5 right ventricular origin and 6 originated from somewhere else) and 18 followed supraventricular extrasystoles.
Underlying heart diseases associated with the postextrasystolic T wave changes were hypertensive, coronary, valvular and other myocardial diseases.
Pertinent review on this subject will be presented here with the result of the writer´s observation.
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