Qt dispersion has no prognostic information for patients with advanced congestive heart failure and reduced left ventricular systolic function.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

QT dispersion is a potential prognostic marker of tachyarrhythmic events and death, but it is unclear whether this applies to patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).

METHODS AND RESULTS:

Of the 1518 patients with advanced CHF and left ventricular dysfunction enrolled in the Danish Investigations of Arrhythmia and Mortality on Dofetilide-CHF (Diamond-CHF) study, a baseline ECG was available in 1319 patients. Of these, QT dispersion could be measured in 703 patients. During a median follow-up of 18 months (minimum 1 year), 285 patients (41%) died. The median QT dispersion was 70 ms (34/155 ms [5%/95% percentiles]), with no difference between survivors and nonsurvivors. Survival analysis revealed no prognostic information derived from QT dispersion regarding all-cause mortality (risk ratio 1.00, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.00; P=0.74), cardiac mortality (risk ratio 1.00, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.01; P=0.55), or cardiac arrhythmic mortality (risk ratio 1.00, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.01; P=0.38).

CONCLUSIONS:

QT dispersion has no prognostic value regarding all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, or cardiac arrhythmic mortality for patients with advanced CHF and reduced left ventricular systolic function.

• Authors: B Brendorp, H Elming, L Jun, L Køber, M Malik, G B Jensen, C Torp-Pedersen
• Journal: Circulation (Circulation) Vol. 103 Issue 6 Pg. 831-5 (Feb 13 2001) ISSN: 1524-4539 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 11171791 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
• Phenethylamines
• Sulfonamides
• dofetilide

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Anti-Arrhythmia Agents (therapeutic use)
• Arrhythmias, Cardiac (mortality)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Denmark
• Double-Blind Method
• Electrocardiography
• Follow-Up Studies
• Heart Failure (drug therapy, mortality, physiopathology)
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Observer Variation
• Phenethylamines (therapeutic use)
• Prognosis
• Sulfonamides (therapeutic use)
• Survival Analysis
• Ventricular Dysfunction, Left (drug therapy, mortality, physiopathology)