Reduction of QRS duration after pulmonary valve replacement in adult Fallot patients is related to reduction of right ventricular volume
Bart Hooft van Huysduynen1,
Alexander van Straten2,
Cees A. Swenne1,*,
Arie C. Maan1,
Henk J. Ritsema van Eck3,
Martin J. Schalij1,
Ernst E. van der Wall1,
Albert de Roos2,
Mark G. Hazekamp4 and
Hubert W. Vliegen1
1Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
2Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
3Department of Medical Informatics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
4Department of Paediatric Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
Received 2 July 2004; revised 5 November 2004; accepted 16 December 2004; online publish-ahead-of-print 16 February 2005.
* Corresponding author. Tel: +31 71 526 1972; fax: +31 84 221 8904. E-mail address: c.a.swenne{at}lumc.nl
See page 863 for the editorial comment on this article (doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehi206)
 |
Abstract
|
---|
Aims Late after total correction, Fallot patients with a long QRS duration are prone to serious arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Pulmonary regurgitation is a common cause of right ventricular (RV) failure and QRS lengthening. We studied the effects of pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) on QRS duration and RV volume.
Methods and results Twenty-six consecutive Fallot patients were evaluated both pre-operatively and 612 months post-operatively by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). In this study, we present the computer-assisted analysis of the standard 12-lead electrocardiograms closest in time to the CMR studies. For the whole group, QRS duration shortened by 6±8 ms, from 151±30 to 144±29 ms (P=0.002). QRS duration decreased in 18 of 26 patients by 10±6 ms, from 152±32 to 142±31 ms. QRS duration remained constant or increased slightly in eight of 26 patients by 3±3 ms, from 148±27 to 151±25 ms. CMR showed a decrease in RV end-diastolic volume from 305±87 to 210±62 mL (P=0.000004). QRS duration changes correlated with RV end-diastolic volume changes (r=0.54, P=0.01).
Conclusion Our study shows that PVR reduces QRS duration. The amount of QRS reduction is related to the success of the operation, as expressed by the reduction in RV end-diastolic volume.
Key Words: Electrocardiography Magnetic resonance imaging Tetralogy of Fallot Pulmonary valve replacement
 |
Introduction
|
---|
Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common cyanotic congenital abnormality.1 Surgical total correction has resulted in an increasing number of patients reaching adulthood. However, late after total correction, TOF patients with a QRS duration >180 ms are prone to ventricular tachycardia and sudden cardiac death.2 An important causative factor of increased QRS duration is residual pulmonary valve regurgitation, which may lead to severe right ventricular (RV) dilatation and heart failure.3,4 Pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) has been reported to stabilize the gradual progression of the QRS duration in the long run.5 Additionally, risk stratification by QRS duration may be further refined by analysis of QRS dispersion and QT dispersion.6 The aim of our study was to evaluate the short-term effects of PVR on the QRS duration, QRS- and QT-dispersion. We also examined whether changes in QRS duration were related to changes in RV volume as obtained with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).
 |
Methods
|
---|
From 1997 to 2002, twenty-six (15 male/11 female) consecutive TOF patients were evaluated with CMR pre-operatively and 612 months post-operatively.7 In the present study, we present the retrospective serial analysis of the standard 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) closest in time to the pre- and post-operative CMR studies. All patients were treated according to our routine clinical protocol.
Patients
Baseline patient characteristics and surgical procedures are summarized in Table 1. The median age at which initial total repair had been performed was 5.0 years [interquartile range (IQR) 2.86.8 years]. A transannular patch was applied in 10 patients. Prior to total repair, a palliative procedure had been performed in 11 patients.
Major indications for PVR were pulmonary regurgitation in combination with RV dilatation and a reduced validity. Only two patients were in NYHA class I, but these patients had severely dilated RVs, defined as an increase in RV end-diastolic volume (EDV) more than twice the left ventricular EDV. Overall, 15 patients had severe pulmonary regurgitation and 11 patients had moderate pulmonary regurgitation. Severe RV dilatation was seen in 13 patients. Residual pulmonary valve regurgitation was corrected by PVR at a median age of 29.2 years (IQR 24.339.4 years).
CMR
CMR was performed using a 1.5 T system (NT15 Gyroscan, Philips Medical Systems, Best, The Netherlands). The CMR protocol has been described previously.7 Briefly, a multiphase, ECG-triggered, multishot echoplanar gradient echo technique was used to acquire short axis images. Images were acquired during breath holds. Slice thickness was 10 mm with a 0.81.0 mm section gap. The flip angle was 30° and echo time was 510 ms. Eighteen to twenty-five frames per cycle resulted in a temporal resolution of 2235 ms.
ECG
For this study, we used all ECGs of these patients that had been stored digitally. Such ECGs were recorded at a median of 7.8 months (IQR 12.42.5 months) before PVR and at a median of 14.3 months (IQR 3.820.1 months) after PVR. The pre-operative ECGs closest in time to the pre-operative CMR studies were recorded at a median of 2.0 months (IQR 3.8 to 1.1 months) before CMR. The post-operative ECGs closest in time to the post-operative CMR studies were recorded at a median of 2.7 months (IQR 2.3 to 13.8 months) after CMR. All ECGs were standard 12-lead recordings with a sample frequency of 500 Hz.
The ECGs were analysed by our MATLAB computer program LEADS (Leiden ECG Analysis and Decomposition Software). LEADS first computed an averaged beat, to minimize noise. In this averaged beat, the beginning and end of the QRS complex were automatically detected. Finally, the observer, blinded to the patient data, corrected this interval if necessary. To facilitate easy identification of the first deflection in any lead (onset QRS) and the last sharp deflection in any lead (offset QRS), the 12 standard ECG leads were superimposed on the screen. By using the zoom function, the ECG could be magnified at will, which allowed for the most accurate crosshair-cursor measurement of the QRS duration. QRS- and QT-dispersion were calculated as the longest minus the shortest interval in any of the 12 leads. The end of the T-wave was defined as the moment of return to the baseline. If U-waves were present, the end of the T-wave was set at the TU nadir.
Statistical analysis
Two-sided paired Student's t-tests were used to compare pre- and post-operative data. P-values were Bonferroni corrected for multiple testing. Linear regression analysis was performed to assess the relation between the changes in QRS duration and the changes in RV EDV. A probability value of P<0.05 was considered significant.
 |
Results
|
---|
A typical example of a pre- and post-operative ECG is shown in Figure 1. Twenty-four of 26 patients had a right bundle branch block pattern before and after PVR. For the whole group, QRS duration shortened by 6±8 ms, from 151±30 to 144±29 ms (P=0.002, Table 2). QRS duration decreased in 18 of 26 patients by 10±6 ms, from 152±32 to 142±31 ms and remained constant or increased slightly in eight of 26 patients by 3±3 ms, from 148±27 to 151±25 ms. QRS- and QT-dispersion did not change significantly, from 22±14 to 23±9 ms (P=0.97) and from 47±21 to 47±20 ms (P=0.99), respectively. RV EDV could be obtained in 20 patients both before and after PVR. (In six patients, CMR could not be obtained owing to technical difficulties, the quality of four pre-operative and two post-operative CMRs appeared unsatisfactory at the moment of analysis.) CMR showed an RV EDV decrease from 305±87 to 210±62 mL (P=0.000004). In patients with reduced QRS durations, RV EDV reduced from 325±86 to 220±69 mL (P=0.00004) and in patients with constant or slightly increased QRS duration, RV EDV decreased from 253±72 to 190±42 mL (P=0.03). These volume reductions, of 105 and 63 mL, respectively, tended to be larger in the group with reduced QRS duration, but this did not reach statistical significance (P=0.08). QRS duration changes correlated with RV EDV changes (r=0.54, P=0.01, see Figure 2).

View larger version (36K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
|
Figure 1. Example of the averaged beat of a patient before (A) and after (B) PVR. To make the difference in QRS duration clearly visible, the ECGs were plotted on a stretched time scale, with all 12 ECG leads superimposed. Lead V1, relevant for the end of the QRS complex, is plotted as a thick line. Start and end of the QRS complexes are indicated by vertical dashed lines. QRS duration shortened by 14 ms (from the right dashed line that marks the end of the QRS complex in the pre-operative ECG to the left dashed line that marks the end of the QRS complex in the post-operative ECG).
|
|
 |
Discussion
|
---|
Our study demonstrated a decrease in QRS duration after PVR in patients with TOF. This reduction in QRS duration appeared to be related to the reduction of RV EDV. Until now, only a stabilization of QRS duration after PVR has been reported.5 The use of a computer-assisted ECG measurement technique allowed us to show that PVR actually reduced QRS duration in most patients. In addition, our results demonstrate a relationship between the structural improvement and the improvement of electrical function. To our knowledge, our study is the first that showed a decrease in QRS duration following PVR in TOF patients.
Gatzoulis et al.6 showed that QRS- and QT-dispersion could be used to refine risk stratification on top of QRS duration. Although according to present insights QT dispersion only indirectly estimates repolarization disturbances,8 gross changes in de- and repolarization may still be detected by QRS- and QT-dispersion. However, in our patient group no changes in QRS- and QT-dispersion were induced by PVR.
Relation between QRS duration, RV dilatation, and arrhythmias
Gatzoulis et al.2 reported a QRS duration >180 ms as a risk marker for ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.2 Other studies confirmed a relation between QRS duration and late arrhythmias.9,10 This relation may be explained by common factors that contribute to both the increased QRS duration and the vulnerability to arrhythmias. A central role is probably played by ventricular dilatation. Dilatation of the right ventricle increases wall stress, which leads to fibrosis of the right ventricle.11 Fibrotic areas form blockades and areas of slow conduction that facilitate re-entry tachycardias.1215 Furthermore, stretch is known to induce premature ventricular excitations, which may serve as an arrhythmogenic trigger.16 Additionally, ventricular dilatation may increase QRS duration by increasing the distance that the electrical activation front has to travel in the right ventricle, as most of our patients had a right bundle branch block pattern.
In previous studies,1719 a relation between RV EDV and QRS duration was found in a group of Fallot patients. The present study shows that this relation also holds for changes in RV EDV and QRS duration.
Surgery in TOF patients
Total repair itself may contribute to the arrhythmogeneity. Scars made during the transventricular approach and applied patches may form anatomical blockades facilitating re-entry.15 On the other hand, surgical resection of aneurysms and correction of ventricular septal defects could reduce the amount of potential contributors to arrhythmias.
Pulmonary regurgitation is the predominant haemodynamic lesion in Fallot patients with ventricular tachycardias and sudden cardiac death.3,20 However, the timing of PVR remains a subject of debate: too late may cause irreversible damage to the RV, whereas too early may lead to multiple re-operations. Our study shows that in TOF patients with dilated RVs, PVR leads not only to mechanical but also to electrical beneficial effects. Hopefully, re-operations might be prevented in the future by the use of percutaneous implantation of pulmonary valves.21
Limitations
As we had to restrict ourselves to digitally stored ECGs, there was a time lag between the ECGs and CMR studies [pre-operative ECGs 2.0 months (IQR 1.1 to 3.8 months) before CMR and post-operative ECGs 2.7 months (IQR 2.3 to 13.8 months) after CMR]. This imposes a limitation upon the conclusions that can be drawn from our study. However, we think that the observed effect of a reduction in QRS duration after PVR was weakened rather than strengthened by these time differences: relatively early pre-operative ECGs may have rendered smaller QRS durations before PVR, whereas relatively late post-operative ECGs may have rendered larger QRS duration after PVR. Both effects may have reduced the observed changes in QRS duration after PVR.
This study did not directly assess the effects of PVR on arrhythmias. However, as previous studies with longer follow-up of non-operated TOF patients have found a strong relation between QRS duration and arrhythmias, PVR resulting in reduced QRS duration is likely to protect against arrhythmias.
 |
Conclusion
|
---|
PVR reduces QRS duration, a risk marker for ventricular tachycardias and sudden death in TOF patients. The structural success of the operation, measured as the reduction of the RV EDV, is related to the reduction of QRS duration.
 |
Acknowledgements
|
---|
This study was supported by the Netherlands Heart Foundation (grant 2001.177). Harmen H.M. Draisma and Hedde van de Vooren assisted in the development of the Leiden ECG Analysis and Decomposition Software (LEADS).
 |
References
|
---|
- Shinebourne EA, Anderson RH. Paediatric Cardiology. 2nd ed. London: Churchill Livingstone; 2002, p 12131250.
- Gatzoulis MA, Till JA, Somerville J et al. Mechanoelectrical interaction in tetralogy of Fallot. QRS prolongation relates to right ventricular size and predicts malignant ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. Circulation 1995;92:231237.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Gatzoulis MA, Balaji S, Webber SA et al. Risk factors for arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death late after repair of tetralogy of Fallot: a multicentre study. Lancet 2000;356:975981.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Davlouros PA, Kilner PJ, Hornung TS et al. Right ventricular function in adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot assessed with cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging: detrimental role of right ventricular outflow aneurysms or akinesia and adverse right-to-left ventricular interaction. J Am Coll Cardiol 2002;40:20442052.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Therrien J, Siu SC, Harris L et al. Impact of pulmonary valve replacement on arrhythmia propensity late after repair of tetralogy of Fallot. Circulation 2001;103:24892494.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Gatzoulis MA, Till JA, Redington AN. Depolarization-repolarization inhomogeneity after repair of tetralogy of Fallot. The substrate for malignant ventricular tachycardia? Circulation 1997;95:401404.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Vliegen HW, van Straten A, de Roos A et al. Magnetic resonance imaging to assess the hemodynamic effects of pulmonary valve replacement in adults late after repair of tetralogy of fallot. Circulation 2002;106:17031707.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Kors JA, van Herpen G, van Bemmel JH. QT dispersion as an attribute of T-loop morphology. Circulation 1999;99:14581463.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Balaji S, Lau YR, Case CL et al. QRS prolongation is associated with inducible ventricular tachycardia after repair of tetralogy of Fallot. Am J Cardiol 1997;80:160163.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Berul CI, Hill SL, Geggel RL et al. Electrocardiographic markers of late sudden death risk in postoperative tetralogy of Fallot children. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 1997;8:13491356.[ISI][Medline]
- Janicki JS, Brower GL, Gardner JD et al. The dynamic interaction between matrix metalloproteinase activity and adverse myocardial remodeling. Heart Fail Rev 2004;9:3342.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Deanfield J, McKenna W, Rowland E. Local abnormalities of right ventricular depolarization after repair of tetralogy of Fallot: a basis for ventricular arrhythmia. Am J Cardiol 1985;55:522525.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Downar E, Harris L, Kimber S et al. Ventricular tachycardia after surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot: results of intraoperative mapping studies. J Am Coll Cardiol 1992;20:648655.[ISI][Medline]
- Horowitz LN, Vetter VL, Harken AH et al. Electrophysiologic characteristics of sustained ventricular tachycardia occurring after repair of tetralogy of fallot. Am J Cardiol 1980;46:446452.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
- Misaki T, Tsubota M, Watanabe G et al. Surgical treatment of ventricular tachycardia after surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot. Relation between intraoperative mapping and histological findings. Circulation 1994;90:264271.[Abstract]
- Hansen DE, Craig CS, Hondeghem LM. Stretch-induced arrhythmias in the isolated canine ventricle. Evidence for the importance of mechanoelectrical feedback. Circulation 1990;81:10941105.[Abstract]
- Abd El Rahman MY, Abdul-Khaliq H, Vogel M et al. Relation between right ventricular enlargement, QRS duration, and right ventricular function in patients with tetralogy of Fallot and pulmonary regurgitation after surgical repair. Heart 2000;84:416420.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Neffke JG, Tulevski II, van der Wall EE et al. ECG determinants in adult patients with chronic right ventricular pressure overload caused by congenital heart disease: relation with plasma neurohormones and MRI parameters. Heart 2002;88:266270.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Daliento L, Rizzoli G, Menti L et al. Accuracy of electrocardiographic and echocardiographic indices in predicting life threatening ventricular arrhythmias in patients operated for tetralogy of Fallot. Heart 1999;81:650655.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
- Zahka KG, Horneffer PJ, Rowe SA et al. Long-term valvular function after total repair of tetralogy of Fallot. Relation to ventricular arrhythmias. Circulation 1988;78:III14III19.[Medline]
- Khambadkone S, Bonhoeffer P. Percutaneous implantation of pulmonary valves. Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther 2003;1:541548.[CrossRef][Medline]
Related articles in EHJ:
- Reduction of QRS duration following pulmonary valve replacement in tetralogy of Fallot: implications for arrhythmia reduction?
- Elizabeth A. Stephenson and Andrew N. Redington
EHJ 2005 26: 863-864.
[Extract]
[Full Text]