title: [Prognostic value of microvolt level T-wave alternans in patients at high risk of sudden cardiac death].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the predict value of microvolt level T-wave alternans (MTWA) for malignant ventricular arrhythmia (MVA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in high risk patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 105 healthy subjects (control group) and 138 patients with history of VT or VF or patients with LVEF < or = 45% (SCD high risk group) were included in this study (mean age 52 years old). MTWA, LVEF, HRV, NSVT, QRS, QTc values and MACE data (death, causes of death, MVA, re-hospitalization, syncope) during follow up (12.0 +/- 1.3) months were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The normal reference value of MTWA was defined as < 37 microV. Positive rate in SCD high risk group was significantly higher than that in control group (45.7% vs. 4.8%, P < 0.01). There was no cardiovascular event report in control group. In SCD high risk group, there were 11 deaths (MTWA positive rate 81.8%) including 7 SCD (MTWA positive rate 85.7%), 17 MVA (MTWA positive rate 88.2%), 9 cases of syncope (MTWA positive rate 77.8%), 21 cases of re-hospitalization during the follow up (MTWA positive rate 85.7%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that positive MTWA, a history of myocardial infarction and LVDd > or = 60 mm were risk factors for all cause of death and positive MTWA was the only factor to predict SCD. The factors related to MVA in turn were positive MTWA, LVEF < or = 35%, a history of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and a history of syncope. Positive MTWA and LVEF < or = 35% are the independent risk factors for predicting MVA (P < 0.01). The sensitivity was 91% and specifity was 66% by combined use of positive MTWA and LVEF < or = 35% to predict MVA. MTWA positive rates were 68.3% and 87.5% respectively in 41 ICD patients and ICD patients with automatic shock during follow up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-invasive MTWA measurement could be used as a screening tool to predict SCD or MVA in high risk patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical College, Kunming 650032, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Ya-ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Shu-min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhong-mei
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult