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[Relationship among heart rate turbulence, QT dispersion and heart function in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy]

Hai-peng Guo1, Qi-zhu Tang, Wei Deng

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, China.

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi
|January 13, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Heart rate turbulence (HRT) is diminished in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients, correlating with cardiac dysfunction. Combined HRT and QT dispersion (QTd) testing offers a sensitive index for autonomic function and prognosis prediction in DCM.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Autonomic Nervous System Function
  • Cardiac Electrophysiology

Context:

  • Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a significant cause of heart failure.
  • Assessing autonomic nervous system function is crucial for predicting prognosis in DCM patients.
  • Traditional methods for evaluating cardiac function may not fully capture the complexities of autonomic dysfunction in DCM.

Purpose:

  • To investigate the relationship between heart rate turbulence (HRT), QT dispersion (QTd), and cardiac function in patients with DCM.
  • To evaluate the clinical utility of HRT and QTd in assessing autonomic nerve function and predicting prognosis in DCM.

Summary:

  • This study analyzed 81 DCM patients and 30 controls, measuring HRT (turbulence onset and slope), QTd, and echocardiographic parameters.
  • Results showed significantly altered HRT and increased QTd in DCM patients, with a correlation to heart failure severity.
  • HRT parameters (turbulence onset, slope) and QTd demonstrated significant correlations with left ventricular ejection fraction and end-diastolic dimension.

Impact:

  • Heart rate turbulence is significantly blunted in DCM patients, indicating impaired autonomic function.
  • Combined assessment of HRT and QTd serves as a sensitive, indirect marker for autonomic nerve function in DCM.
  • This combined testing holds high clinical value for predicting the prognosis of dilated cardiomyopathy.
Abstract

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