Electrocardiographic features of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy according to disease severity: a need to broaden diagnostic criteria.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to systematically study diagnostic and prognostic electrocardiographic (ECG) characteristics of arrhythmogenic right ventricle dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C).


RESULTS
The patient population included 50 patients with ARVD/C (27 males, 23 females; mean age 38+/-15 years). We also analyzed the ECG of 50 age- and gender-matched normal control subject and 28 consecutive patients who presented with right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) tachycardia. Right bundle-branch block (RBBB) was present in 11 patients (22%). T-wave inversions in V1 through V3 were observed in 85% of ARVD/C patients in the absence of RBBB compared with none in RVOT and normal controls, respectively (P<0.0001); epsilon waves were seen in 33%, and a QRS duration > or =110 ms in V1 through V3 was present in 64% of patients. Among those without RBBB, our newly proposed criterion of "prolonged S-wave upstroke in V1 through V3" > or =55 ms was the most prevalent ECG feature (95%) and correlated with disease severity and induction of VT on electrophysiological study. This feature also best distinguished ARVD/C (diffuse and localized) from RVOT.


CONCLUSIONS
A prolonged S-wave upstroke in V1 through V3 is the most frequent ECG finding in ARVD/C and should be considered as a diagnostic ECG marker.
Nasir
Khurram
K
Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md, USA.
Bomma
Chandra
C
Tandri
Harikrishna
H
Roguin
Ariel
A
Dalal
Darshan
D
Prakasa
Kalpana
K
Tichnell
Crystal
C
James
Cynthia
C
Spevak
Phillip J
PJ
Jspevak
Phillip
P
Marcus
Frank
F
Calkins
Hugh
H
D000328:Adult; D019571:Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002037:Bundle-Branch Block / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis