Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2025
Preclinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Assessment by Dual Voltage and Calcium Optical Mapping of Human Organotypic Cardiac Slices
Published on: June 16, 2020
Effects of Early Repolarization on Electrocardiography and Long-Term Cardiovascular Outcomes: A 15-Year
Masoumeh Sadeghi1, Erfan Sheikhbahaei2, Mohammad Talaei3
1Cardiac Rehabilitation Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Background:
We aimed to investigate the association between persistent early repolarization (ER) in healthy individuals and long-term cardiovascular events and mortality rates in a large cohort study.
Methods:
Demographic characteristics, medical records, 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs), and laboratory data were retrieved and analyzed from the Isfahan Cohort Study. The participants were followed up biannually via telephone interviews and 1 live structured interview in between until 2017. Individuals who had ER in all their ECGs were considered persistent ER cases. Study outcomes were cardiovascular events (unstable angina, myocardial infarction, stroke, and sudden cardiac death), cardiovascular-related mortality, and all-cause mortality. The independent t test, the χ2 test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Cox regression models were used for statistical analyses.
Results:
The study population consisted of 2696 subjects (50.5% female). Persistent ER was found in 203 subjects (7.5%), with a higher frequency in men (6.7% vs 0.8%; P<0.001). Cardiovascular events, cardiovascular-related mortality, and all-cause mortality occurred in 478 (17.7%), 101 (3.7%), and 241 (8.9%) individuals, respectively. After controlling for known cardiovascular risk factors, we found an association between ER and cardiovascular events (adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] =2.36 [1.19-4.68], P=0.014), cardiovascular-related mortality (4.97 [1.95-12.60], P=0.001), and all-cause mortality (2.50 [1.11-5.58], P=0.022) in women. No significant association was found between ER and any study outcomes in men.
Conclusion:
ER is common in young men with no apparent long-term cardiovascular risks. In women, ER is relatively rare, but it could be associated with long-term cardiovascular risks.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Cardiac Action Potential
The cardiac action potential process involves a series of phases characterized by the movement of ions across the cardiac cell membranes, leading to the depolarization and repolarization of the cardiac myocytes.
Ionic Basis of Cardiac Action Potentials
01:29Electrocardiogram
Three major waveforms are present in a typical ECG recording: the P wave, the QRS complex, and...
01:19Electrophysiology of Normal Cardiac Rhythm
01:25Correlation between ECG and Cardiac Cycle
A cardiac action potential originates in the SA node and spreads throughout the atria and the AV node in approximately 0.03 seconds. This results in the P wave in an ECG and triggers atrial contraction. The action potential is then briefly slowed at the AV node, allowing the atria to contract and fill the ventricles with blood before...
01:28Electrocardiogram Fundamentals
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a diagnostic tool for identifying cardiac conditions such as arrhythmias, conduction abnormalities, and myocardial ischemia.
Definition
An electrocardiogram (ECG) visualizes the heart's electrical activity by tracing the electrical movement associated with each heartbeat on a graph or monitor. As the heart beats, an electrical wave passes through it, correlating with the cardiac cycle events.
Parts of an ECG
An ECG utilizes electrodes on the skin...
01:28Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias