OBJECTIVETo explore the change of electrocardiographic ischemic J wave in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODSCHD patients (CHD, n = 162) underwent PCI in the hospital were divided into unstable angina pectoris (angina pectoris group, n = 108) and acute myocardial infarction group (AMI group, n = 54), 12-lead electrocardiogram was recorded within 24 hours before and after PCI. Patients were further grouped into left anterior descending artery group and right or circumflex coronary artery stenosis group. The incidence, amplitude and time course of J waves were measured and analyzed.

RESULTS(1) The highest incidence of J wave appeared in II, III, aVF leads pre- and post-PCI in CHD groups (33.95%, 22.84%, 26.54% and 30.86%, 19.75%, 23.46%). Higher incidence of J wave in AMI group was evidenced in V(5), II, aVF, III, V(3) leads before PCI (33.33%, 27.78%, 16.67%, 12.96%, 11.11%) and in V(5), II, aVF, aVL, III leads after PCI (22.22%, 22.22%, 14.81%, 12.96%, 9.26%). (2) Before PCI, higher incidence of J wave was found in V(5), V(6) leads (25.78%) in left anterior descending artery group and in II, III, aVF leads (35.37%) in right or circumflex coronary artery stenosis group. After PCI, the higher incidence of J wave in left anterior descending artery group and right or circumflex coronary artery stenosis group was evidenced in II, III, aVF leads (21.09% and 35.37%, respectively). (3) The ischemic J wave' amplitude and time course in II, III, aVF, V(3), V(4) leads were significantly reduced post PCI in CHD patients.

CONCLUSIONSHigher incidence of J wave was found in II, III, aVF in CHD patients. PCI is associated with reduced amplitude and time course of J wave suggesting PCI could improve ischemic J waves in CHD patients.