A prospective study of myocardial damage in electrical injuries

J Trauma. 1985 Feb;25(2):122-4. doi: 10.1097/00005373-198502000-00005.

Abstract

A prospective study was undertaken to determine the incidence of possible myocardial damage following electrical injury. Sixteen patients with non-flash electrical injuries were assessed utilizing serial electrocardiograms (ECG), creatine kinase (CK) and MB creatinine kinase (MB-CK) determinations, technetium 99m stannous pyrophosphate scans, and 24-hour Holter monitors. Results showed that five patients (31%) had abnormal ECG, nine patients (56%) had elevations of the MB-CK isoenzyme, and one patient had a transiently abnormal Holter monitoring. No patient had an abnormal technetium pyrophosphate cardiac scan. Of the nine patients with elevated MB-CK levels, only two had abnormal ECG. None of the patients had clinical evidence of cardiac dysfunction. These results indicate a poor correlation of elevated MB-CK levels with ECG abnormalities, and demonstrate a relatively low incidence of myocardial damage in association with electrical injuries.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / diagnosis
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / etiology*
  • Burns, Electric / complications*
  • Child
  • Creatine Kinase / blood
  • Electrocardiography
  • Heart / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Isoenzymes
  • Male
  • Monitoring, Physiologic
  • Prospective Studies
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Technetium
  • Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate*
  • Tin Polyphosphates

Substances

  • Isoenzymes
  • Tin Polyphosphates
  • technetium Tc 99m stannous pyrophosphate
  • Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate
  • Technetium
  • Creatine Kinase