Decreased post-myocardial infarction heart rate variability and cardiac denervation assessed by metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy.

Decreased heart rate variability, assessed 2 weeks after uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction, is related to the extent of 1-123-metaiodobenzylguanidine-derived efferent sympathetic cardiac denervation. This postinfarction cardiac denervation could be the substrate of reduced postinfarction heart rate variability.