title: Increased frequency of fragmented QRS in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the presence of myocardial fibrosis determined by fragmented QRS in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-seven consecutive patients with severe aortic valve stenosis and 83 age- and gender-matched control subjects were enrolled into this study. Severe aortic valve stenosis was defined as an aortic valve area <1 cm(2), a Vmax >4 m/s, or a mean gradient ≥40 mm Hg. Fragmented QRS was assessed using a 12-lead electrocardiogram.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fragmented QRS was detected in 40 (46%) patients in the aortic valve stenosis group and in 15 (18%) control subjects (p < 0.001). In multivariate binary logistic regression analysis, the presence of aortic valve stenosis was the only independent factor associated with fragmented QRS (OR = 3.69; 95% CI 1.81-7.55, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A higher frequency of fragmented QRS was detected in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis compared to controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ahi Evren Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa Tarık
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ağaç
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.forename: Hüseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bektas
authors.forename: Zeydin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Acar
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erkan
authors.forename: Ibrahim Halil
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.forename: Adem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adar
authors.forename: Sükrü
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Celik
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents