[Prevalence of Epsilon wave in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of Epsilon wave in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC).


METHODS
The epsilon wave was detected in 32 patients [24 men, mean age (42.3 +/- 13.3) years] with ARVC using three different electrocardiography (ECG) recording methods: standard twelve leads ECG (S-ECG), right precordial leads ECG (R-ECG) and Fontaine bipolar precordial leads ECG (F-ECG). The Epsilon wave was defined as wiggler, small spike wave and smooth potential between the end of the QRS complex and the beginning of the ST segment.


RESULTS
Epsilon wave was detected in 37.5%, 37.5% and 50.0% patients with ARVC by S-ECG, R-ECG and F-ECG respectively. The detection rates derived from the three recording methods were similar (P > 0.05). The Epsilon wave was only detectable by S-ECG in one case, by R-ECG in three cases, and by F-ECG in five cases. The detection rate of Epsilon wave was 50.0% by combined use of S-ECG and R-ECG (SR-ECG), 56.3% by combined use of S-ECG and F-ECG (SF-ECG), and 65.6% by combined use of the three recording methods (SRF-ECG). The detection rate was significantly higher by SF-ECG (56.3%) and SRF-ECG (65.6%) than by S-ECG alone (37.5%, all P < 0.05). Most Epsilon waves detected by the S-ECG, R-ECG and F-ECG were small spiked waves.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined use of S-ECG, F-ECG and R-ECG could increase the detection rate of Epsilon wave in patients with ARVC.
Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Jing
J
Wang
Bing
B
Yang
Ming-long
ML
Chen
Qi-jun
QJ
Shan
Jian-gang
JG
Zou
Chun
C
Chen
Feng-xiang
FX
Zhang
Xiao-feng
XF
Hou
Hong-wu
HW
Chen
Wei-zhu
WZ
Ju
Kai
K
Chen
Ke-jiang
KJ
Cao
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019571:Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult