In order to clarify the clinical significance of a persistent negative U wave in patients with myocardial infarction, the clinical features and prognosis of a group of such patients were compared with a group without negative U waves. The persistent negative U wave was defined as the presence of a negative U wave at the time of discharge. The subjects were classified into 2 groups: group A-55 patients (50 males and 5 females, 59 .+-. 10 years) with negative U waves; group B-70 patients (55 males and 15 females, 61 .+-. 9 years) without negative U waves. The average follow-up periods were 49 .+-. 21 months in group A and 42 .+-. 18 months in group B. Negative U waves appeared in leads where r or R waves were present, but were not observed in leads with a QS pattern. The incidences of a diseased left anterior descending artery, multi-vessel disease, left ventricular wall motion abnormality and left ventricular ejection fraction below 50% were higher in group A than in group B. The recurrence of myocardial infarction was 18.2% in group A and 7.1% in group B, and the number of patients treated with antianginals drug was higher in group A than in group B. The rate of recurrence of myocardial infarction at 1, 3 and 5 years was 6%, 17% and 26%, respectively in group A and 6%, 8% and 11%, respectively in group B. Thus, it was concluded that patients in group A require more active treatment than those in group B.