title: A meta-analysis on the prognostic significance of inferolateral early repolarization pattern in Brugada syndrome.
abstract: The early repolarization (ER) pattern has been linked to an increased risk for arrhythmic death in various clinical settings. There are limited and conflicting data regarding the prognostic significance of ER pattern in Brugada syndrome (BS). The aim of this meta-analysis was to provide a detailed analysis of the currently available studies regarding the arrhythmic risk in patients with BS and ER pattern.
  
  
  
  Current databases were searched until May 2015. A random-effect meta-analysis of the effect of ER pattern on the incidence of arrhythmic events in patients with BS was performed. Five studies were included comprising a total of 1375 patients with BS. An ER pattern was reported in 177 patients (12.8%). During follow-up (44.9-93 months), 143 patients (10.4%) suffered an arrhythmic event. Overall, BS patients with ER pattern displayed an increased risk of arrhythmic events compared to patients without ER (OR 3.29, 95% CI: 2.06 to 5.26, P < 0.00001; Heterogeneity: P = 0.11, I2 = 48%). Three studies provided data regarding ER pattern location. Inferior, lateral, or inferolateral ER pattern location was observed in 20.3%, 32.2%, and 48%, respectively. An inferolateral ER location conferred the higher arrhythmic risk (OR 4.87, 95% CI: 2.64 to 9.01, P< 0.00001; Heterogeneity: P = 0.85, I2 = 0%).
  
  
  
  This meta-analysis suggests that the ER pattern is associated with a high risk of arrhythmic events in patients with BS. In particular, BS patients with inferolateral ER (global ER pattern) displayed the highest arrhythmic risk.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Stamatis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Georgopoulos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Letsas
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Tianjin Institute of Cardiology, Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalafateli
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Korantzopoulos
authors.affiliation: Electrophysiology Section, St. Josefs-Hospital, Wiesbaden, Germany.
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bürkle
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vlachos
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Cardiology, University of Athens Medical School, Attikon University Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giannopoulos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Efremidis
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Cardiology, University of Athens Medical School, Attikon University Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: Spyridon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deftereos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, "Evangelismos" General Hospital of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Antonios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sideris
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.affiliation: Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, Wynnewood, PA, USA.|Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Gan-Xin
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Electrophysiology Section, St. Josefs-Hospital, Wiesbaden, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ehrlich
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D053840:Brugada Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Brugada syndrome ; Early repolarization ; J-wave syndrome ; Sudden cardiac death