title: Prevalence and long-term prognosis of patients with 'narrower than normal' QRS complexes.
abstract: Very narrow QRS have been reported in sudden death survivors but prevalence and prognosis role of narrow QRS is unknown.
  
  
  
  546 healthy men between 50 and 60 years (group 1) and 373 similar patients with coronary artery disease (368 men, group 2) underwent signal averaged ECG (SA-ECG) allowing precise measurement of QRS duration. All cause-mortality was determined after 18 ± 3 years follow-up. Mean QRS duration was 97 ± 13 ms in group 1 and 103 ± 16 ms in group 2. Tenth percentile was 84 ms in group 1 and 85 ms in group 2. All cause-mortality in group 1 was 10.4% (57/546): 6/85 in case of QRS <85 ms (7%) and 2/23 (9%) in case of QRS >120 ms (ns). HR for all-cause mortality was 0.75 (95% CI 0.32-1.76, P = 0.52) for QRS <85 ms and 0.86 (95% CI 0.21-3.53, P = 0.84) for QRS >120 ms. All cause mortality in group 2 was 29% (109/373): 7/44 in case of QRS <85 ms (16%) and 22/44 (50%) in case of QRS >120 ms (P = 0.002). HR for all-cause mortality was 0.65 (95% CI 0.29-1.45, P = 0.29) for QRS <85 ms and 1.73 (95% CI 1.02-2.94, P = 0.05) for QRS >120 ms.
  
  
  
  QRS duration <80-85 ms can be observed in a significant proportion of middle-aged healthy males and in similar patients with ischemic heart disease. Narrow QRS were not linked to prognosis in any group.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, University Hospital Rangueil, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 09, France.|INSERM 1048, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maury
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, University Hospital Rangueil, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Elodie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lematte
authors.affiliation: LIRYC Institute/INSERM 1045, University Hospital Haut-Leveque, Bordeaux.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Derval
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, University Hospital Rangueil, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rollin
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, University Hospital Rangueil, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Vanina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bongard
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, University Hospital Rangueil, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duparc
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, University Hospital Rangueil, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mondoly
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, University Hospital Rangueil, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cardin
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, University Hospital Rangueil, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadron
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, University Hospital Rangueil, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galinier
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, University Hospital Rangueil, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carrié
authors.affiliation: LIRYC Institute/INSERM 1045, University Hospital Haut-Leveque, Bordeaux.
authors.forename: Meleze
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hocini
authors.affiliation: LIRYC Institute/INSERM 1045, University Hospital Haut-Leveque, Bordeaux.
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Denis
authors.affiliation: LIRYC Institute/INSERM 1045, University Hospital Haut-Leveque, Bordeaux.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jaïs
authors.affiliation: LIRYC Institute/INSERM 1045, University Hospital Haut-Leveque, Bordeaux.
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sacher
authors.affiliation: LIRYC Institute/INSERM 1045, University Hospital Haut-Leveque, Bordeaux.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haïssaguerre
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, University Hospital Rangueil, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferrieres
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, University Hospital Rangueil, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Jean Bernard
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Ruidavets
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D009660:Northern Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors