PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF EARLY REPOLARIZATION PATTERNS IN ECGS OF CHEST PAIN PATIENTS

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of early repolarization (ER) patterns in patients presenting with chest pain. The study aimed to identify factors influencing ER patterns, including demographic, clinical, and ECG parameters. Study Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study Place and Duration: This study was conducted at, People’s University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women Nawabshah for a period of 1 year from June 2023 to June 2024. Methodology: This study recruited 144 individuals aged 18–80 presenting with chest pain. Initial 12-lead ECGs were used to evaluate  ER, identified by J-point elevation ≥0.1 mV accompanied by notching or slurring in at least two contiguous leads. Multivariable binary logistic regression was used to analyze factors associated with ER, presenting odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Of the 144 patients, 92 (63.9%) did not exhibit ER, and 52 (36.1%) had an ER pattern. The ER group had significantly lower BMI (24.5 ± 3.2 vs. 25.8 ± 3.6, p < 0.001), heart rate (74.2 ± 7.3 vs. 78.5 ± 9.2 bpm, p = 0.008), and T-wave duration (80 [80-100] ms vs. 100 [80-140] ms, p = 0.011). The non-ER group exhibited a higher prevalence of STEMI compared to the ER group (21.7% vs. 15.4%, p=0.045). Multivariable logistic regression revealed that ER was significantly linked to lower heart rate (OR=0.92, p=0.005), shorter T-wave duration (OR=0.97, p=0.007), and reduced BMI (OR=0.81, p=0.001). Conclusion: ER patterns are prevalent in chest pain patients, particularly in younger males and those with lower BMI. Although ER can mimic more serious conditions, effective risk stratification tools are needed for accurate diagnosis and management. The significance of ER patterns for long-term prognosis in patients with chest pain should be investigated in future studies.