Relation of T-axis abnormalities to coronary artery disease and survival after cardiac catheterization

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Clinical Medicine
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• The T axis, a measure of ventricular depolarization, is crucial in electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation.
• Its association with coronary artery disease (CAD) and patient outcomes requires further elucidation.
• Understanding prognostic markers is vital for risk stratification in cardiovascular medicine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between an abnormal T axis and the extent of angiographically determined coronary artery disease.
• To assess the predictive value of an abnormal T axis for all-cause mortality in patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patients undergoing coronary angiography.
• Correlation analysis between T axis abnormalities and CAD extent (e.g., number of diseased vessels).
• Survival analysis (unadjusted and adjusted) to evaluate the association between T axis and mortality.

Main Results:

• No significant association was found between an abnormal T axis and the extent of coronary artery disease (p = 0.928).
• An abnormal T axis was a significant predictor of overall mortality in unadjusted survival analysis (p = 0.035).
• A trend towards poorer survival associated with an abnormal T axis persisted after adjusting for clinical covariates.

Conclusions:

• An abnormal T axis is not associated with the severity of coronary artery disease.
• An abnormal T axis serves as an independent predictor of increased overall mortality.
• ECG-derived T axis may offer prognostic information beyond traditional risk factors in cardiovascular patients.