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Published on: June 16, 2020
Prognostic implications of progressive cardiac conduction disease
Tamiro Kawaguchi1, Hideki Hayashi, Akashi Miyamoto
1Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan.
Insights
Progressive cardiac conduction disease (PCCD) severity, indicated by increasing PR interval and QRS duration, significantly predicts heart failure hospitalization and cardiovascular death. This finding highlights the prognostic value of monitoring ECG changes in patients with PCCD.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Electrocardiography
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Progressive cardiac conduction disease (PCCD) involves a worsening PR interval and QRS duration.
- The underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of PCCD are diverse.
- The association between PCCD progression and adverse cardiovascular outcomes requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if progressive cardiac conduction disease (PCCD) is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
- To assess the prognostic value of temporal ECG changes in patients with PCCD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized digital analysis of 359,737 12-lead ECGs to identify patients with PCCD.
- Enrolled 458 patients with PCCD in a hospital-based cohort for long-term follow-up (mean 13.3 years).
- Employed multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis to evaluate associations between ECG parameters and outcomes.
Main Results:
- A temporal increase in PR interval (≥ 2 ms/year) and QRS duration (≥ 3 ms/year) was significantly associated with heart failure hospitalization.
- Higher rates of PR interval increase (≥ 4 ms/year) and QRS duration increase (≥ 5 ms/year) were significantly linked to cardiovascular mortality.
- The study identified specific thresholds for ECG changes indicating increased risk.
Conclusions:
- The severity of progressive cardiac conduction disease (PCCD) is an independent predictor of heart failure hospitalization.
- Worsening PCCD is significantly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality.
- Monitoring the rate of change in PR interval and QRS duration on ECG is crucial for risk stratification in PCCD patients.
Background:
Progressive cardiac conduction disease (PCCD), characterized by temporal increase in PR interval and QRS duration, may be attributed to diverse pathophysiological mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate whether PCCD is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
Methods And Results:
Digital analysis of 12-lead ECG was performed to select patients with PCCD from among a database containing 359,737 ECGs. Long-term prognosis of PCCD was assessed in a large hospital-based population: 458 patients (341 males; mean age, 57.9 ± 14.7 years) with PCCD were enrolled. During a mean follow-up of 13.3 ± 6.4 years, 109 patients were hospitalized for heart failure (HF), and there were 16 and 59 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and all causes, respectively. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis confirmed (1) a significant association of temporal incremental rate of PR interval (≥ 2 ms/year) and QRS duration (≥ 3 ms/year) with HF hospitalization (hazard ratio [HR], 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36-4.05; P=0.002 and HR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.25-3.53; P=0.01, respectively) and (2) a significant association of temporal incremental rate of PR interval (≥ 4 ms/year) and QRS duration (≥ 5 ms/year) with cardiovascular mortality (HR, 6.9; 95% CI, 1.47-36.96; P=0.02 and HR, 4.31; 95% CI, 1.19-16.5; P=0.03, respectively).
Conclusions:
The severity of PCCD was independently and significantly associated with HF hospitalization and cardiovascular mortality.
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