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Clinical characteristics of subjects with the Brugada-type electrocardiogram:
Kiyotaka Matsuo1, Masazumi Akahoshi, Eiji Nakashima
1Department of Clinical Studies, Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Nagasaki, Japan.
Insights
Japanese men with Brugada-type electrocardiograms (ECG) have a lower body mass index (BMI) than controls. This finding suggests a potential link between lower BMI and the underlying mechanisms of Brugada-type ECG.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Clinical Electrophysiology
Background:
- Brugada-type electrocardiogram (ECG) is characterized by ST segment elevation in right precordial leads.
- While prevalent in Japanese men, clinical features remain under-researched.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical characteristics of Japanese men diagnosed with Brugada-type ECG.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 3,374 men from Nagasaki, Japan, followed from 1958-2001.
- Comparison of clinical data between 34 Brugada-type ECG cases and age-matched male controls.
Main Results:
- Brugada-type ECG cases exhibited significantly lower body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis compared to controls (20.2 vs 21.8 kg/m²).
- Lower BMI trend persisted in cases throughout an 8-year observation period around diagnosis.
- Pulse rate was lower in cases, but this significance diminished after adjusting for BMI or body weight.
Conclusions:
- Lower BMI is a distinct clinical characteristic associated with Brugada-type ECG in Japanese men.
- This association provides a potential avenue for exploring the basic mechanisms underlying Brugada-type ECG.
Introduction:
The Brugada-type ECG, a terminal r' wave accompanied by ST segment elevation in the right precordial leads, is not a very rare condition. Most of the cases are men in Japan and elsewhere; however, information about the clinical features of these cases is lacking. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics of subjects with the Brugada-type ECG, specifically Japanese men.
Methods And Results:
We extracted male Brugada-type ECG cases from 3,374 men followed biennially from 1958 through 2001 in Nagasaki, Japan, and compared the clinical characteristics at diagnosis between these cases and four age-matched male controls for each case. A total of 34 cases with the Brugada-type ECG were observed during follow-up. Body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis was significantly lower in Brugada-type ECG cases than in 136 controls (20.2 +/- 2.1 kg/m(2) vs 21.8 +/- 2.8 kg/m(2), P = 0.003). The BMI trend in cases was always lower than that in controls throughout the 8-year observation period (from 4 years before diagnosis to 4 years after diagnosis). Pulse rate at diagnosis was also somewhat lower in Brugada-type ECG cases than in controls (68.9 +/- 7.7 beats/min vs 72.7 +/- 11.1 beats/min, P = 0.038). The significance disappeared after controlling for BMI (P = 0.131) or body weight (P = 0.153).
Conclusion:
The cases with the Brugada-type ECG had lower BMI than controls, leading to a clue to possible basic mechanisms of the Brugada-type ECG with a focus on this association.
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