Precordial leads right and sudden death. Relation with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia.

Non-coronary ST-segment elevation during right sided chest pain has been described in subjects with episodes of ventricular fibrillation at rest. This syndrome has been attributed to functional phenomena or to structural myocardial changes. A personal case has features belonging to two categories : ST-segment elevation observed before, during and after episodes of arrhythmia was compared to 11 previously recorded ECG recordings. Right ventricular dysplasia was shown by electrocardiography, electrophysiology and echocardiography. In addition, ST-segment elevation is classified in 3 categories : triangular and dome-shaped are the most commonly observed forms during the arrhythmias; the third form with ''saddle''-shaped appearances has not been previously described and would seem to be a minor equivalent observed during intercritical periods. This form is found in 30 % of clinically documented cases of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia.