title: Prevalence and characteristics of idiopathic right ventricular outflow tract arrhythmias associated with J-waves.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The arrhythmogenic relationship between the presence of J-waves during sinus rhythm and idiopathic ventricular tachycardia (VT) or pre-mature ventricular contractions (PVCs) originating from the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) has not been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of idiopathic RVOT-VT/PVCs associated with J-waves.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study enrolled 138 consecutive idiopathic RVOT-VT/PVC patients undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) and 276 age- and gender-matched control subjects. The prevalence of J-waves was assessed in each cohort, and the clinical and electrophysiological data were compared between the RVOT-VT/PVC patients with J-waves (J-RVOT-VT/PVC group) and those without (non-J-RVOT-VT/PVC group). J-waves were more common among patients with idiopathic RVOT-VT/PVCs than among the matched control subjects (40 vs. 16% P < 0.001). The J-RVOT-VT/PVC group had a higher incidence of sustained VT (25 vs. 5%, P < 0.01), shorter VT cycle length (302 ± 57 vs. 351 ± 58 ms, P < 0.001), and more episodes of syncope (25 vs. 2%, P < 0.001) than did the non-J-RVOT-VT/PVC group. However, no patients demonstrated any ventricular fibrillation (VF) or cardiac sudden death in either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a high prevalence of J-waves in the idiopathic RVOT-VT/PVC patients referred for RFCA. Although patients with idiopathic RVOT arrhythmias associated with J-waves might have a more enhanced arrhythmogenicity than those without J-waves, the significance of those J-waves was limited in terms of the prognosis and VF.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Sendai City Hospital, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashina
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Namekawa
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Manjirou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakuramoto
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yambe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology