QRS complex abnormalities in subjects with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Electrophysiology
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) is a life-threatening arrhythmia.
• Early repolarization abnormalities on ECG have been anecdotally observed in IVF patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the incidence of initial and terminal QRS complex abnormalities in patients with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF).
• To compare the prevalence of these abnormalities between IVF patients and a healthy control group.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of ECG data from 11 IVF patients and 101 age- and gender-matched healthy controls.
• Evaluation for specific initial (pseudo delta-wave) and terminal (early repolarization pattern) QRS complex abnormalities in contiguous leads.
• Exclusion of structural heart disease and accessory pathways in controls via electrophysiological study.

Main Results:

• Initial QRS complex abnormalities with a normal PR interval were significantly more frequent in IVF patients (36.4%) compared to controls (8.9%, p=0.023).
• An early repolarization pattern was more common in IVF patients (27.3%) than controls (12.9%), though not statistically significant (p=0.192).
• A higher prevalence of both initial and terminal QRS complex abnormalities was observed in the IVF group.

Conclusions:

• Patients with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation exhibit an increased prevalence of initial and terminal QRS complex abnormalities.
• These ECG findings may serve as potential markers for identifying individuals at risk for idiopathic ventricular fibrillation.