Echocardiographic Grading

The echocardiographic model merged original CMR Grades 0 and 1 because echocardiography cannot reliably detect myocardial necrosis without structural or functional abnormalities. The grading system combines functional impairment, structural remodelling, and mitral regurgitation. The study evaluated whether a simple echocardiography-based grading system can stratify long-term all-cause mortality risk after first-time STEMI among discharge survivors. The proposed grading system is intended for risk stratification, communication, follow-up planning, rehabilitation tailoring, resource allocation, and occupational decisions.