Simple Electrocardiographic Score Can Predict Left Ventricular Reverse Remodeling in Patients With Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

Clinical Utility of Synthesized 18-Lead Electrocardiography

Eighteen-lead electrocardiography (18-ECG) includes, in addition to those in standard 12-lead ECG (12-ECG), six additional chest leads: V7-V9 and V3RV5R. Leads V7-V9 require the patient to be in a lateral decubitus position for the electrodes to be attached to the back. Synthesized 18-ECG (syn18-ECG) is a method that only records 12-ECG and uses computational logic to record the posterior wall (V7-V9) and right-sided (V3R-V5R) leads. We review the clinical utility of syn18-ECG in conditions including acute coronary syndromes, arrhythmias, acute pulmonary embolism, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The syn18-ECG waveform correlates well with the actual 18-ECG waveform, indicating that syn18-ECG is an excellent substitute for 18-ECG, excluding negative T waves. ST elevation in leads V7-V9 has the effect of reducing missed acute coronary syndromes in the posterior wall. In cases of arrhythmia, syn18-ECG can accurately estimate the target site of radiofrequency catheter ablation using a simple algorithm. The use of additional leads in Duchenne muscular dystrophy is expected to provide new insights. To facilitate gaining more knowledge regarding diseases that have not yet been investigated, it is imperative that the cost of syn18-ECG is reduced in the future.

Diverse distribution patterns of segmental longitudinal strain are associated with different clinical features and outcomes in dilated cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) presents with diverse clinical courses, hardly predictable solely by the left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF). Longitudinal strain (LS) offers distinct information from LVEF and exhibits various distribution patterns. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of LS distribution patterns in DCM.

METHODS

We studied 139 patients with DCM (LVEF ≤ 35%) who were admitted for heart failure (HF). LS distribution was assessed using a bull's eye map and the relative apical LS index (RapLSI), calculated by dividing apical LS by the sum of basal and mid-LS values. We evaluated the associations of LS distribution with cardiac events (cardiac death, LV assist device implantation, or HF hospitalization) and LV reverse remodeling (LVRR), as indicated by subsequent LVEF changes.

RESULTS

Twenty six (19%) and 29 (21%) patients exhibited a pattern of relatively apical impaired or preserved LS (defined by RapLSI < 0.25 or > 0.75, signifying a 50% decrease or increase in apical LS compared to other segments), and the remaining patients exhibited a scattered/homogeneously impaired LS pattern. The proportion of new-onset heart failure and LVEF differed between the three groups. During the median 595-day follow-up, patients with relatively-impaired apical LS had a higher rate of cardiac events (both log-rank p < 0.05) and a lower incidence of LVRR (both p < 0.01) compared to patients with other patterns. RapLSI was significantly associated with cardiac event rates after adjusting for age, sex, and new-onset HF or global LS.

CONCLUSION

DCM patients with reduced EF and distinct distribution patterns of impaired LS experienced different outcomes.

Cardiac sympathetic activity and relationship to cardiac events and left ventricular reverse remodeling in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

Delayed heart-to-mediastinum ratio (HMR) has been associated with catecholamine levels and contractile reserve in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM); however, there is scant evidence regarding the association between cardiac sympathetic activity and left ventricular reverse remodeling (LV-RR). We calculated the ¹²³I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (¹²³I-mIBG) HMR and washout rate (WR) in patients with DCM and investigated their associations with LV-RR.

METHODS

From April 2003 to January 2020, in 120 patients with DCM who underwent ¹²³I-mIBG scintigraphy. 66 patients undergoing follow-up echo and taking a beta-blocker from baseline were examined the relationship between ¹²³I-mIBG and LV-RR. After that, this prognostic value for composite cardiac events was evaluated in the entire 120 patients.

RESULTS

In LV-RR analysis, patients were 50.4 ± 12.2 years, with a mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 28.6%. Of 66 patients, 28 (42.4%) achieved LV-RR. Multiple logistic regression analysis of LV-RR revealed that not delayed HMR but the WR (cutoff value: 13.5%) was an independent predictor of LV-RR (odds ratio 6.514, p = 0.002). In the analysis for composite cardiac events, even though WR itself does not have the prognostic capacity, Kaplan-Meier survival curves divided by the cutoff value (delayed HMR = 2.0, WR = 13.5) showed that delayed HMR and WR values enabled the stratification of high-risk patients (log-rank p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The ¹²³I-mIBG WR was associated with the prevalence of LV-RR in patients taking 100% of beta-blockers and 98.5% of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors. Reflecting the contractile reserve, the combined assessment of the delayed HMR and WR could be used to further precisely stratify the patients with DCM.

Predictive value of electrocardiographic markers in children with dilated cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) refers to a heterogeneous group of cardiomyopathies characterized by ventricular dilatation and myocardial systolic dysfunction, which can lead to serious consequences such as malign arrhythmia, sudden death, heart failure, and thromboembolism. With its economical, non-invasive, simple and reproducible advantages, electrocardiogram (ECG) has become an important indicator for assessing the prognosis of cardiovascular diseases. In recent years, more and more studies of electrocardiography on DCM have been carried out, but there is still a lack of a comprehensive summary of its prognostic value. This article reviews the prognostic value of electrocardiographic markers in children with DCM.