Wellens' syndrome

Wellens' syndrome (or sign) is an electrocardiographic manifestation of critical proximal left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery stenosis in patients with unstable angina. It is characterized by symmetrical, often deep >2mm, T wave inversions in the anterior precordial leads: V2 to V3. A less common variant is biphasic T wave inversions in the same leads. [cite journal | last = Tandy | first = TK |coauthors = Bottomy DP, Lewis JG | title = Wellens' syndrome | journal = Annals of Emergency Medicine | volume = 33 | issue = 3 | pages = 347–351 | year = 1999 | month = March | pmid = 10036351 | doi = 10.1016/S0196-0644(99)70373-2]

First described by Hein J. J. Wellens and colleagues in 1982 in a subgroup of patients with unstable angina, [cite journal | last = de Zwaan | first = C | coauthors = Bär FW, Wellens HJJ | title = Characteristic electrocardiographic pattern indicating a critical stenosis high in left anterior descending coronary artery in patients admitted because of impending myocardial infarction | journal = American Heart Journal | volume = 103 | issue = 4 | pages = 730–736 | year = 1982 | month = April | pmid = 6121481 | doi = 10.1016/0002-8703(82)90480-X] it does not seem to be rare, appearing in 18% of patients in his original study. A subsequent prospective study identified this syndrome in 14% of patients at presentation and 60% of patients within the first 24 hours. [cite journal | last = de Zwaan | first = C | coauthors = Bär FW, Janssen JH, et al | title = Angiographic and clinical characteristics of patients with unstable angina showing an ECG pattern indicating critical narrowing of the proximal LAD coronary artery | journal = American Heart Journal | volume = 117 | issue = 3 | pages = 657–665 | year = 1989 | month = March | pmid = 2784024 | doi = 10.1016/0002-8703(89)90742-4]

The presence of Wellens' syndrome carries significant diagnostic and prognostic value. All patients in the De Zwann's study with characteristic findings had more than 50% stenosis of the left anterior descending artery (mean=85% stenosis) with complete or near-complete occlusion in 59%. In the original Wellens' study group 75% of those with the typical syndrome manifestations had an anterior myocardial infarction. Sensitivity and specificity for significant (more or equal to 70%) stenosis of the LAD artery was found to be 69% and 89% respectively with positive predictive value 86%. [cite journal | last = Haines | first = DE | coauthors = Raabe DS, Gundel WD, Wackers FJ | title = Anatomic and prognostic significance of new T-wave inversion in unstable angina | journal = American Journal of Cardiology | volume = 52 | issue = 1 | pages = 14–18 | year = 1983 | month = July | pmid = 6602539 | doi = 10.1016/0002-9149(83)90061-9]

Diagnostic criteria:Progressive symetrical deep T wave inversion in leads V2 and V3, slope of inverted T waves generally at 60°-90°, little or no enzymes elevation, discreet or no ST segment elevation, no loss of precordial R waves.

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