Association between electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy with strain pattern and left ventricular structure and function

Significance of isolated papillary muscle hypertrophy: A comparison of left ventricular hypertrophy diagnosed using electrocardiography vs echocardiography

AIMS

The clinical significance of papillary muscle hypertrophy and its electrocardiography (ECG) findings has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between ECG findings and papillary muscle hypertrophy and to confirm the importance of papillary muscle measurements on transthoracic echocardiography (TTE).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Of the 237 consecutive patients who showed left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) pattern on a 12-lead ECG, TTE data were available for 101 patients. The patients were divided into the two groups according to the presence (ECG-LVH [strain pos] group, n = 60) or absence (ECG-LVH [strain neg] group, n = 41) of LV strain pattern (study 1). The prevalence of papillary muscle hypertrophy using TTE was significantly higher in the ECG-LVH (strain neg) group than in the ECG-LVH (strain pos) group (P = .0002). Of the 42 cases with papillary muscle hypertrophy, 5 cases (12%) showed isolated papillary muscle hypertrophy with normal geometry. ECG data were prospectively analyzed for 36 patients who were diagnosed with papillary muscle hypertrophy by TTE (study 2). The prevalence of LV strain pattern was significantly higher in patients with LV wall hypertrophy than in those without LV wall hypertrophy (P = .04). Of the 25 cases with papillary muscle hypertrophy, 6 cases (24%) showed normal geometry and 4 cases (16%) showed ECG abnormality.

CONCLUSIONS

Isolated papillary muscle hypertrophy can cause ECG abnormalities such as LV high voltage and LV strain pattern. Particular attention must be paid to the papillary muscle during echocardiographic examinations.

Hypertensive heart failure in Nigerian Africans: insights from the Abeokuta Heart Failure Registry

Data from the Abeokuta Heart Failure Registry were used to determine the clinical characteristics, mode of treatment, and short- and medium-term outcomes of patients with hypertensive heart failure. A total of 320 patients were consecutively studied, comprising 184 men (57.5%) and 136 women (42.5%) aged 58.4±12.4 and 60.6±14.5 years, respectively. Most patients (80%) presented with New York Heart Association functional class III or IV and around one third (35%) had preserved systolic function. Median hospital stay was 9 days (interquartile range 5-21) while intra-hospital mortality was 3.4%. The 30-day, 90-day, and 180-day mortality rates were 0.9% (95% confidence interval, -0.2 to 3.5), 3.5% (95% confidence interval, -1.7 to 7.3), and 11.7% (95% confidence interval, -7.8 to 17.5), respectively. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, only serum creatinine was an independent predictor of mortality at 180 days (adjusted odds ratio, 1.76; 95% confidence interval, -1.17 to 2.64). Hypertension is the most common etiological risk factor for heart failure in Nigeria. Most patients present in the fourth decade of life with severe heart failure and secondary valvular dysfunction and significant in-hospital mortality.

Blood pressure, prevalence of hypertension and hypertension related complications in Nigerian Africans: A review

To review studies on hypertension in Nigeria over the past five decades in terms of prevalence, awareness and treatment and complications. Following our search on Pubmed, African Journals Online and the World Health Organization Global cardiovascular infobase, 1060 related references were identified out of which 43 were found to be relevant for this review. The overall prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria ranges from 8%-46.4% depending on the study target population, type of measurement and cut-off value used for defining hypertension. The prevalence is similar in men and women (7.9%-50.2% vs 3.5%-68.8%, respectively) and in the urban (8.1%-42.0%) and rural setting (13.5%-46.4%).The pooled prevalence increased from 8.6% from the only study during the period from 1970-1979 to 22.5% (2000-2011). Awareness, treatment and control of hypertension were generally low with attendant high burden of hypertension related complications. In order to improve outcomes of cardiovascular disease in Africans, public health education to improve awareness of hypertension is required. Further epidemiological studies on hypertension are required to adequately understand and characterize the impact of hypertension in society.

Electrocardiographic strain pattern in children with left ventricular hypertrophy: a marker of ventricular dysfunction

The objective of this study was to assess the relation between strain pattern on electrocardiogram (ECG-strain) and echocardiographic indices of left ventricular (LV) structure and function in children with LV hypertrophy (LVH). ECG-strain is a marker of LVH and is associated with adverse cardiovascular prognosis in adults. The significance of ECG-strain and its relation to LV structure and function has not been studied in children. We retrospectively analyzed electrocardiograms (ECGs) and echocardiograms of 101 children enrolled in this study. Subjects were divided into three groups: group I (n = 21) comprised children with LVH confirmed by echocardiography (LVH(echo)) with ECG-strain pattern; group II (n = 54) comprised children with LVH(echo) without ECG-strain pattern; and group III (n = 26) comprised children without LVH (control group). ECG-strain was defined as a down-sloping convex ST-segment depression (> or = 0.1 mV) with an inverted asymmetrical T-wave opposite to the QRS axis in leads V5 and/or V6. LV structure and function was measured using conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography. ECG-strain was associated with greater interventricular septal thickness, posterior wall thickness, and LV mass index (LVMI) compared with those without ECG-strain (P < 0.0001 for each variable). Concentric LVH was more common in those with ECG-strain (16 of 21 vs. 9 of 54 patients; P = < 0.0001). ECG-strain was associated with systolic, diastolic, and combined systolic-diastolic dysfunction in children with LVH(echo). Among children with LVH, ECG-strain is associated with higher LVMI, concentric pattern of LVH, and LV systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Whether this has similar adverse prognostic implications as it does in adults remains to be determined.

Electrocardiographic diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy in aortic valve disease: evaluation of ECG criteria by cardiovascular magnetic resonance

BACKGROUND

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a hallmark of chronic pressure or volume overload of the left ventricle and is associated with risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The purpose was to evaluate different electrocardiographic criteria for LVH as determined by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). Additionally, the effects of concentric and eccentric LVH on depolarization and repolarization were assessed.

METHODS

120 patients with aortic valve disease and 30 healthy volunteers were analysed. As ECG criteria for LVH, we assessed the Sokolow-Lyon voltage/product, Gubner-Ungerleider voltage, Cornell voltage/product, Perugia-score and Romhilt-Estes score.

RESULTS

All ECG criteria demonstrated a significant correlation with LV mass and chamber size. The highest predictive values were achieved by the Romhilt-Estes score 4 points with a sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 81%. There was no difference in all ECG criteria between concentric and eccentric LVH. However, the intrinsicoid deflection (V6 37 +/- 1.0 ms vs. 43 +/- 1.6 ms, p < 0.05) was shorter in concentric LVH than in eccentric LVH and amplitudes of ST-segment (V5 -0.06 +/- 0.01 vs. -0.02 +/- 0.01) and T-wave (V5 -0.03 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.18 +/- 0.05) in the anterolateral leads (p < 0.05) were deeper.

CONCLUSION

By calibration with CMR, a wide range of predictive values was found for the various ECG criteria for LVH with the most favourable results for the Romhilt-Estes score. As electrocardiographic correlate for concentric LVH as compared with eccentric LVH, a shorter intrinsicoid deflection and a significant ST-segment and T-wave depression in the anterolateral leads was noted.

"Echocardiography in Nigeria: use, problems, reproducibility and potentials"

BACKGROUND

Although echocardiography is a useful and cost-effective technique for the detection of morphological and functional cardiac abnormalities, it has a main limitation in its subjectivity. Therefore the aim of the present study was to assess the intra-observer reproducibility and validity of 2-dimensional guided M-mode echo measurements at a Nigerian metropolitan Hospital.

METHODS

Standard echocardiographic examination was performed on twenty randomly selected patients (11 men and 9 women) aged 59.8 +/- 12.6 years in two different sessions seven days apart.

RESULTS

A good degree of intraobserver agreement was observed between test 1 and test 2. The correlation coefficient between the first and second studies ranged between 0.60 and 0.96; measurement errors between 0.050 and 0.205.

CONCLUSION

We would conclude that 2-dimensional guided M-mode measurements at echocardiography performed at our centre are reproducible with low intra-observer variability.