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The association of spatial T wave axis deviation with incident coronary events. The ARIC cohort

Georgeta D Vaidean1, Pentti M Rautaharju, Ronald J Prineas

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. vaidean@email.unc.edu

BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
|January 13, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Spatial T wave axis deviation does not predict coronary heart disease (CHD) in middle-aged adults. This study found no association between T wave axis and incident CHD events over 12 years.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Epidemiology
  • Electrocardiography

Background:

  • Spatial T wave axis provides information on ventricular repolarization.
  • Limited and conflicting studies exist on its predictive ability for coronary heart disease (CHD).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between spatial T wave axis deviation and the occurrence of incident coronary heart disease.
  • To determine if spatial T wave axis adds predictive value beyond traditional risk factors.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study of 12,256 middle-aged men and women from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC).
  • Analysis of digitized 12-lead, 10-second electrocardiograms.
  • Median follow-up of 12.1 years for fatal and non-fatal CHD events.

Main Results:

  • No significant association found between spatial T wave axis quartiles and CHD incidence rates.
  • In women, a 10-degree increase in spatial T wave axis deviation showed a crude increased risk of CHD (HR 1.16), which diminished after adjustments (HR 1.03).
  • In men, crude and adjusted hazard ratios for CHD associated with spatial T wave axis deviation were not significant (HR 1.05 and 0.95, respectively).

Conclusions:

  • Spatial T wave axis deviation is not associated with incident coronary events in a long-term, population-based, bi-ethnic cohort.
  • It is unlikely that spatial T wave axis deviation improves CHD prediction beyond established risk factors.
Abstract

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