title: Arrhythmia risk assessment using heart rate variability parameters in patients with frequent ventricular ectopic beats without structural heart disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ventricular ectopic beats (VEBs) are usually considered a benign condition that can be managed with conservative measures. Heart rate variability (HRV), which is one of the most important methods for assessing autonomic activity, is a noninvasive, quantitative method of analyzing autonomic effects on the heart. We aimed to investigate the risk of arrhythmia in patients with VEBs and without cardiovascular disease by using HRV parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with frequent VEBs (more than 30 times in 1 hour, according to the Lown classification) were identified. Identified patients were evaluated by 24-hour ECG recording. Our study included 43 patients with frequent VEBs and 43 controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  General characteristics of the study population were similar. The LF (low frequency)/HF (high frequency) ratio was significantly higher in the frequent VEBs group than in the control group (P < 0.001). The rate of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) was higher in the frequent VEB group than in the control group (P = 0.003). The number of VEBs was correlated with LF/HF ratio and PAF (r = 0.339, P = 0.001 and r = 0.294, P = 0.006, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed that the sympathetic nervous system is dominant in young patients with VEBs and without significant comorbidities. There is a higher risk of atrial fibrillation in patients with VEBs and they should be monitored closely for atrial fibrillation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barutçu
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Temiz
authors.forename: Adem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bekler
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Altun
authors.forename: Bahadir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kirilmaz
authors.forename: Feyza Ulusoy
authors.initials: FU
authors.lastname: Aksu
authors.forename: Uğur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Küçük
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gazi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: LF/HF ratio; atrial fibrillation; autonomous nervous system; heart rate variability; ventricular ectopic beat