Changes of the QRS-T angle in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

This study aimed to investigate changes in the frontal QRST angle in patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

The QRS-T angle is a prognostic marker in several clinical settings. The impact of TAVI on the QRS-T angle, especially in the long term, has not been investigated thus far.

A total of 104 patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement due to severe aortic stenosis underwent a standardized digital 12-lead ECG for the calculation of the QRS-T angle before and 24 h after the intervention, as well as 30 days after the intervention.

There was a significant and dynamic change in the QRS-T angle during the TAVI procedure. An initial increase in the number of patients with a wider QRS-T angle (>90°) was notable immediately after valve replacement. After 30 days, there was a significant decrease in the number of patients with a wide QRS T-angle.

The QRS-T angle widens early after transcatheter aortic valve replacement and improves below the baseline during a 3 months follow-up. This could be related to the cardiacischemic stress during valve intervention. In contrast, QRS-T angle narrowing during follow-up might reflect the normalization of left ventricular hemodynamics and prognostic improvement.