High prevalence of false chordae tendinae in patients without left ventricular tachycardia.
BACKGROUND
Left ventricular (LV) false chordae tendinae (false chords) have been implicated as a source of idiopathic left (IL) ventricular tachycardia (VT). However, it is unknown whether pretest bias contributes to an apparent association with disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of false chords on direct inspection of the LV endocardium.


METHODS
In a prospective series, 75 hearts were examined to identify and characterize false chords, including 20 specimens examined at autopsy and 55 consecutive patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. Medical records were reviewed for history of VT, including ILVT.


RESULTS
Of 75 patients whose hearts were studied, none had a history of ILVT and only 5 had a history of any VT. False chords were present in 34 of 75 (45%) hearts, including 13 of 20 (65%) at postmortem and 21 of 55 (38%) examined at surgery (P = 0.07). The prevalence of false chords was not different among patients with (3 of 5 [60%]) versus those without (31 of 70 [44% p = 0.65]) a history of VT (P = 0.65).


CONCLUSIONS
In this prospective anatomic series, the prevalence of LV false chords on autopsy and surgical inspection was approximately 45% among patients without ILVT. Previously reported associations of false chords with ILVT likely underestimated the prevalence of false chords in a normal population.
Gualano
Sarah K
SK
Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Bolling
Steven F
SF
Gordon
David
D
Wilson
Allecia
A
Bach
David S
DS
D001344:Autopsy; D002815:Chordae Tendineae / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis