Transverse false tendons in the left ventricular cavity are associated with early repolarization.
BACKGROUND
Left ventricular false tendons (LVFTs) are related to precordial murmurs, ventricular arrhythmias and some repolarization abnormalities. Early repolarization (ER) is a specific type of repolarization abnormality.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between LVFTs and ER.


METHODS
This study retrospectively included 99 consecutive healthy subjects and 33 patients with ER. Early repolarization was defined as an elevation of the QRS-ST junction of >0.1 mV from baseline in at least 2 inferior or lateral leads, manifested as QRS slurring or notching. Each participant was examined using echocardiography with second harmonic imaging, and the attachments of the LVFTs were recorded.


RESULTS
A total of 93 LVFTs were present in 82 (83%) of the 99 healthy subjects. Of these 93 LVFTs, the majority (79/93, or 84.9%) were longitudinal-type LVFTs, which originated from the basal interventricular septum (IVS) and progressed toward the apical segment of the left ventricular free wall. There were significant differences in the positioning of the LVFTs between the ER patients and control (P < 0.0001). LVFTs between mid-IVS to the middle of the LV free wall were found more common in patients with ER compared with control subjects (47.5% vs. 6.5%, P < 0.0001). In the ER group, LVFTs between the basal IVS to the apical segment of LV free wall were only identified in 21% of the LVFTs, compared to a value of 84.9% for the control group (P < 0.0001). The distribution of LVFT trends in the ER group was also significantly different from that in the control group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
LVFTs are commonly visualized using echocardiography. An LVFT from the basal IVS to the apical segment of the left ventricular free wall may be a normal anatomical structure in the left ventricular cavity. On the contrary, transverse false tendons in the left ventricular cavity may be associated with ER.
Department of Geriatric Cardiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Yuan
Y
Liu
Clinical medicine department of Bethune medical profession sergeant school, Shijiazhuang, China.
Ning
N
Mi
Department of liver disease, Beijing General Hospital of Beijing Military Command, Beijing, China.
Yiming
Y
Zhou
Department of internal medicine, the First People's Hospital of Qujing, Qujing, China.
Peng
P
An
Department of Geriatric Cardiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Yongyi
Y
Bai
Department of Geriatric Cardiology, Hebei Provincial People's Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China.
Yifang
Y
Guo
Department of Geriatric Cardiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Changming
C
Hong
Medical Administration, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Zhixin
Z
Ji
Department of Geriatric Cardiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Ping
P
Ye
Department of Geriatric Cardiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Caie
C
Wu
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013710:Tendons / Q000503:physiopathology*