Vectorcardiography Findings Are Associated with Recurrent Ventricular Arrhythmias and Mortality in Patients with Heart Failure Treated with Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Device

Abstract

Background: There is a need for refined risk stratification of sudden cardiac death and prediction of ventricular arrhythmias to correctly identify patients who are expected to benefit the most from implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy. Methods: We conducted a registry-based retrospective observational study on patients with either ischemic (ICMP) or nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NICMP) treated with ICD between 2002 and 2013 at a tertiary referral center. We evaluated 3 vectorcardiography (VCG) indices; spatial QRS-T angle, QRS vector magnitude (QRSvm), and T-wave vector magnitude (Twvm), and their association with all-cause mortality and ventricular arrhythmias. The VCG indices were automatically computed from resting 12-lead electrocardiograms before ICD implantation. Results: 178 patients were included in the study; 53.4% had ICMP, 79.2% were male, and mean ejection fraction was 27.4%. During the follow-up (median 89 months), 40 patients (23%) died; 31% had appropriate ICD therapy. In multivariate analysis with dichotomized variables, QRS-T angle >152° and Twvm <0.38 mV were significantly associated with increased mortality: HR 2.64 (95% CI 1.14–6.12, p = 0.02) and HR 5.30 (95% CI 2.31–12.11, p < 0.001), respectively. QRSvm <1.54 mV was borderline significant with mortality outcome ( p = 0.10). The composite score of all 3 VCG indices, a score of 3, conferred an increased risk of mortality (including heart failure mortality) in multivariate analysis: HR 13.80 (95% CI 3.44–55.39, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The spatial QRS-T angle and Twvm are emerging VCG indices which are independently associated with mortality in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction due to ICMP or NICMP. Using a composite score of all 3 vector indices, a maximum score was associated with poor long-term survival.

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): CRD

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Cardiology

Journal ID (doi): 10.1159/issn.0008-6312

Title: Cardiology

Publisher: S. Karger AG

ISSN (Print): 0008-6312

ISSN (Electronic): 1421-9751

Publication date Subscription-year: 2020

Publication date (Print): December 2020

Publication date (Electronic): 21 September 2020

Volume: 145

Issue: 12

Pages: 784-794

Affiliations

_aDepartment of Cardiology, Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Arrhythmia Clinic, Skane University Hospital, Lund, Sweden

_bDepartment of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Minnesota/Masonic Children’s Hospital, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

_cDepartment of Cardiology, Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

Author notes

*Uzma Chaudhry, Department of Cardiology, Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Arrhythmia Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, SE–221 00 Lund (Sweden), [e-mail]

Article

Publisher ID: 509766 Other ID: Cardiology 2020;145:784–794

DOI: 10.1159/000509766

PubMed ID: 32957097

Copyright statement: © 2020 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel

License:

This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC). Usage and distribution for commercial purposes requires written permission. Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug. Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.

Page count

Figures: 3, Tables: 2, Pages: 11

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Categories

Subject: Electrophysiology and Arrhythmia: Research Article