QT Interval Dispersion in Ventricular Beats: A Noninvasive Marker of Susceptibility to Sustained Ventricular Arrhythmias

• Published in: Pacing and clinical electrophysiology 2001-03, Vol.24 (3), p.352-357
• Main Authors: KULAKOWSKI, PIOTR, KARCZMAREWICZ, STEFAN, CZEPIEL, ALEKSANDRA, MAKOWSKA, EWA, SOSZYŃSKA, MALGORZATA, CEREMUŻYŃSKI, LESZEK
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Electrocardiography - methods; Female; Heart Conduction System - physiology; Heart Conduction System - physiopathology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; QT dispersion; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tachycardia, Ventricular - diagnosis; Tachycardia, Ventricular - physiopathology; ventricular ectopy; ventricular tachycardia
• ISSN: 0147-8389; 1540-8159
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1460-9592.2001.00352.x

KULAKOWSKI, P., et al.: QT Interval Dispersion in Ventricular Beats: A Noninvasive Marker of Susceptibility to Sustained Ventricular Arrhythmias. Increased QT dispersion (QTd) calculated from sinus beats has been shown to identify patients prone to sustained VT. However, predictive accuracy of this parameter is limited. Electrophysiological properties of the myocardium may be altered by a premature ventricular beats, which is a well‐established trigger for sustained VT. Therefore, the author hypothesised that QTd in spontaneous or paced ventricular beats may improve identification of patients with inducible sustained VT. In 28 consecutive patients (men, mean age 61 ± 13 years) who underwent programmed ventricular stimulation, the values of QTd calculated in sinus and ventricular beats were compared between inducible and noninducible patients. The mean QTd values obtained using three different methods differed significantly, QTd in paced ventricular beats being the highest, QTd in spontaneous ventricular beats was intermediate, and QTd in sinus beats was the lowest (83.9 ± 30 vs 63.0 ± 29 ms vs 53.9 ± 27 ms, P < 0.0001 and P < 0.004, respectively). In 13 (46%) patients sustained VT was induced. QTd values were significantly higher in inducible than noninducible patients (QTd sinus beats: 67.5 ± 31 vs 42.1 ± 11 ms, P = 0.02; QTd spontaneous ventricular beats: 79.3 ± 35 vs 46.7 ± 13 ms, P = 0.008, and QTd‐paced ventricular beats: 104.8 ± 32 vs 65.9 ± 9 ms, P = 0.0009). The receiver operator characteristic curves showed that at a sensitivity level of 100%, the highest specificity for identification of inducible patients had QTd measured in paced ventricular beats (87%) followed by QTd in spontaneous ventricular beats (45%), and QTd in sinus beats (40%). In conclusion, (1) QTd in ventricular beats is greater than in sinus beats, and (2) QTd calculated from paced ventricular beats identifies patients with inducible sustained VT better than QTd measured during sinus rhythm.