Aim: Cardiac death due to ventricular arrhyhtmias can occur in patients with ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) for secondary prevention. The aim of this study is to assess the prognostic value of electrocardiographic ventricular repolarization parameters in patients with secondary prevention.
Materials and Methods: Sixty five patients with ICD for secondary prevention after sustained ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation or sudden cardiac death were enrolled to the study retrospectively. Patients were divided into groups according to mortality during a follow up period of 4,5 years (48 patients alive and 17 dead). Heart rate, QT, QTc and T peak T end (Tp-e) duration were measured from 12 derivations ECG electronically.
Results: Mean age of the study population was 70.6±11.9 years. Ventricular repolarization parameters such as QT, QTc, Tp-e duration and Tp-e index values were found to be similar between deaths and live patient groups. Patients who died during the follow-up had advanced age (68.7±12.5 vs 76.8±10.3 years, p=0.009), lower left ventricular ejection fraction percentage (LVEF %) (37.6±13.3 vs 26.9±9.2, p=0.003) and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (81.2±22.5 vs 61±34.3 ml/min/m2, p=0.03). Arrhythmic death patients only had lower LVEF % than non-arrhythmic death patients group.
Conclusions: In patients with ICD for secondary prevention QT, QTc, Tp-e duration and Tp-e index were not related to mortality.
Key words: Cardioverter defibrillator; T peak-T end; ventricular arrhythmia
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