title: Prognostic value of electromagnetic QRS fragmentation in survivors of sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation compared with healthy controls.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Magnet field imaging (MFI) is a noninvasive method to determine cardiac electromagnetic activity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to compare the electromagnetic QRS fragmentation index (eQFI) in survivors of sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF) to healthy individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five consecutive patients with documented sustained VT or VF who underwent a MFI investigation between December 2009 and October 2011 were compared with 25 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with documented VT or VF showed a trend to higher eQFI values compared with the control group (p = 0.06). This increase was mainly driven by VT/VF patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (CMP) which was markedly elevated compared with the healthy controls (1.48 vs. 1.07; p = 0.01). In patients with nonischemic CMP or acute coronary syndrome, eQFI was not different from the healthy group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electromagnetic QRS fragmentation is increased in VT/VF patients with ischemic CMP but not in patients with ventricular arrhythmias of other origin. Further investigations in prospective cohorts should evaluate the prognostic value of electromagnetic QRS fragmentation in patients with ischemic heart disease to predict the occurrence of VT/VF and to guide therapy.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik B, Klinikum Ludwigshafen, Bremserstraße 79, 67063, Ludwigshafen, Germany. kleemann.thomas@web.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kleemann
authors.forename: Kleopatra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kouraki
authors.forename: Margit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skarlos
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Zeymer
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zahn
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053798:Magnetocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017741:Survivors; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis*