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Evaluation of Left Ventricular Structure and Function using 3D Echocardiography
06:34

Evaluation of Left Ventricular Structure and Function using 3D Echocardiography

Published on: October 28, 2020

Relationship between QRS duration and left ventricular mass and volume in patients at high cardiovascular risk

Ralph A Stewart1, Alistair A Young, Craig Anderson

  • 1Green Lane Cardiovascular Service, Auckland City Hospital, Private Bag 92024, Auckland 1030, New Zealand. rstewart@adhb.govt.nz

Heart (British Cardiac Society)
|August 13, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Longer QRS duration, a measure of heart electrical activity, is linked to increased cardiovascular mortality. This study found a longer QRS duration correlates with greater left ventricular mass and larger heart volumes, potentially explaining this risk.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cardiovascular Imaging
  • Electrophysiology

Background:

  • Longer QRS duration on electrocardiogram (ECG) is a known predictor of increased cardiovascular (CV) mortality.
  • Potential mechanisms linking QRS duration to CV outcomes require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between QRS duration and left ventricular (LV) mass, LV end-systolic volume, and LV end-diastolic volume.
  • To explore potential mechanisms underlying the association between QRS duration and CV mortality.

Main Methods:

  • A substudy of the ONTARGET/TRANSCEND clinical trials included 368 patients.
  • Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure LV mass and volumes at baseline and 2-year follow-up.
  • Relationships between QRS duration and LV parameters were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • A 10-ms increase in QRS duration was associated with significant increases in LV mass (8.3%), LV end-diastolic volume (9.2%), and LV end-systolic volume (7.8%).
  • These associations remained significant after indexing LV parameters to height(2.7), indicating independence from body size.
  • Similar associations were observed in patients with normal and abnormal baseline ECGs.

Conclusions:

  • Longer QRS duration, even within the normal range, is associated with increased left ventricular mass and volume.
  • These findings suggest that altered cardiac structure may mediate the link between prolonged QRS duration and higher cardiovascular mortality.
Abstract

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