[Evaluation of the ventricular arrhythmogenic profile of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and reduced ejection fraction].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the arrhythmogenic profile of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy of low ejection fraction and its prognostic significance.


METHODS
Data from 40 patients (30 males; mean age: 52 +/- 13 years) were analysed including ventricular arrhythmias (24h - Holter monitoring), autonomic balance from heart rate variability in time domain (rMSSD and pNN50 indexes), ventricular late potentials (signal averaged electrocardiogram (ECG) and dispersion of ventricular repolarization measured from 12-lead ECG.


RESULTS
There was a high prevalence of ventricular arrhythmias with at least one episode of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) in 60% of the patients. Depressed vagal activity was observed in more than half of the patients. In only 30% of the patients the signal-averaged ECG was positive. The dispersion of ventricular repolarization ranged from 20 to 100 ms. The presence of > 30 ventricular premature beats or nonsustained VT on Holter monitoring was the most significant predictor of cardiac death and sudden cardiac death with a relative risk of 1.9 and 3.2, respectively (p = 0.01 and 0.000).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study population it was noted that patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and low ejection fraction had an abnormal electrical and autonomic cardiac behaviour. These findings could represent risk factors for the occurrence of life-threatening arrhythmias or fatal events.
Hospital Pró-Cardíaco/Proó-Ritmo, Hospital da Santa Casa de Misericórdia-Rio de Janeiro.
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Maia
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Drumond Neto
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Montera
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da Costa
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Alves
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013318:Stroke Volume