Electrocardiogram parameters in predicting reversible ischemia in myocardial perfusion SPECT: A case-control study

Seda Gülbahar Ateş1, Hüseyin Emre Tosun2, Gamze Tatar2

  • 1Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye.

Insights

Electrocardiogram (ECG) repolarization parameters like Tp-Te/cQT ratio, QRS duration, and cQTd may predict reversible ischemia in myocardial perfusion SPECT scans for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Medical Imaging
  • Electrophysiology

Background:

  • Myocardial perfusion SPECT and ECG are key for evaluating coronary artery disease (CAD).
  • Understanding ventricular repolarization's link to ischemia is crucial for CAD assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the relationship between ECG-derived ventricular repolarization parameters, including the index of cardiac electrophysiological balance (iCEB), and reversible ischemia detected by SPECT.
  • To identify ECG predictors of reversible ischemia in patients with confirmed CAD.

Main Methods:

  • Compared ECG parameters (QRS, QTd, cQTd, Tp-Te, Tp-Te/QT, Tp-Te/cQT, iCEB, iCEBc) in 45 patients with reversible ischemia on SPECT and 45 controls.
  • Utilized 99m technetium-sestamibi (99mTc-MIBI) stress-rest SPECT and coronary angiography for diagnosis and assessment.
  • Correlations were analyzed using Spearman test; predictors of reversible ischemia were identified via logistic regression.

Main Results:

  • Patients with ischemia showed significantly longer QRS duration, cQTmax, QTd, and cQTd.
  • The ischemia group had significantly lower Tp-Te, Tp-Te/QT, and Tp-Te/cQT ratios.
  • Multivariate analysis identified hyperlipidemia, QRS duration, cQTd, and Tp-Te/QTc ratio as independent predictors of ischemia.

Conclusions:

  • The Tp-Te/cQT ratio, QRS duration, and cQTd show potential as valuable predictors of reversible ischemia in SPECT.
  • Further research is warranted to validate these ECG parameters for predicting reversible ischemia in CAD.
Abstract