Ventricular free wall rupture (FWR) is a catastrophic complication of that occurs after acute
myocardial infarction (AMI), and at present, its clinical characteristics are unclear. We analyzed a total of 6,712 consecutive patients who presented with
ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (
STEMI), and 78 patients with FWR after
STEMI were enrolled in the study. Patients' demographic data, clinical manifestation, laboratory test results, and angiographic features were then collected and analyzed. FWR occurred in 78 cases (1.16%), and the inhospital mortality of FWR was up to 92.3%. Among the 78 FWR patients, 72 obtained accurate
rupture time. FWR typically occurred within the first week after the
infarct. Compared to late-phase FWR (more than 48 hours after
STEMI) patients, early-phase FWR (during 48 hours after
STEMI) patients showed significantly higher random
glucose and higher percentage of anterior
myocardial infarction. Besides, dual antiplatelet
therapy (
DAPT), β-blockers, and
angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/
angiotensin receptor blocker (ACEI/ARB) were used less frequently in early-phase FWR patients. Moreover, we first reported the precipitating factors of FWR. Defecating, transporting, acute emotional upset, diets, and invasive treatment turned out to be the main triggers for FWR. Furthermore, we found that patients who survived from FWR were younger, had higher β-blocker coverage in the inhospital treatment, and had a higher frequency of primary PCI. FWR remains an infrequent but devastating complication of
STEMI. We have found several factors related to the occurrence and prognosis of FWR. This study provides evidence for a better understanding of FWR.