Electrogram characteristics in postinfarction ventricular tachycardia: effect of infarct age.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to correlate infarct age with characteristics of the endocardial electrograms (EGM) obtained in patients undergoing mapping procedures for postinfarction ventricular tachycardia (VT).


BACKGROUND
Experimental studies have demonstrated that infarct age influences EGM duration in the subepicardial left ventricle (LV). The relationship between infarct age and endocardial EGM characteristics has not been investigated in patients with postinfarction VT.


METHODS
In a consecutive series of 23 patients with a history of remote infarction (range 1 to 31 years) and VT, endocardial LV mapping was performed with an electroanatomical mapping system (CARTO, Biosense Webster Inc., Diamond Bar, California) during sinus rhythm. Electrogram morphology and width were analyzed and correlated with infarct age. Isthmus sites of the VT re-entry circuits were identified by entrainment mapping and related to the results of substrate mapping.


RESULTS
There was a significant correlation between infarct age and width of the bipolar endocardial EGM during baseline rhythm in the peri-infarct zone (r = 0.84; p < 0.0001). Increasing infarct age was associated with progressive activation delays in the scar and with isolated potentials separated by an isoelectric interval, the duration of which also correlated with infarct age (r = 0.77; p < 0.001). Among all endocardial sites, the VT isthmus sites displayed the most delay and broadest EGMs during sinus rhythm.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of broad, fractionated EGMs and isolated potentials indicates a healed myocardial infarction; the older the infarction, the broader the EGM width. Remodeling over time alters the electrophysiologic properties of the peri-infarct tissue.
Bogun
Frank
F
University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. fbogun@umich.edu
Krishnan
Subramaniam
S
Siddiqui
Mukarram
M
Good
Eric
E
Marine
Joseph E
JE
Schuger
Claudio
C
Oral
Hakan
H
Chugh
Aman
A
Pelosi
Frank
F
Morady
Fred
F
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018780:Body Surface Potential Mapping; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D018450:Disease Progression; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000502:physiology*