Electrophysiological findings in patients with isolated left ventricular non-compaction

Europace. 2009 Sep;11(9):1193-200. doi: 10.1093/europace/eup187. Epub 2009 Jul 9.

Abstract

Aims: Patients with isolated left ventricular non-compaction (IVNC) are at high risk for developing ventricular tachyarrhythmias. However, no analysis of invasive electrophysiological (EP) findings in these patients has yet been performed.

Methods and results: We performed a retrospective analysis of EP findings in 24 patients with IVNC. Ventricular tachyarrhythmias were inducible in nine patients; of these, two patients had sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) and two patients had ventricular fibrillation. No specific electrocardiographic or echocardiographic finding was predictive of VT inducibility. Three of the 9 patients with inducible VT experienced ventricular tachyarrhythmias during the follow-up of 61.4+/-50 months, whereas no tachyarrhythmias or sudden deaths were noted in 12 patients without inducible VT during the follow-up of 30+/-19 months (3 patients in the latter group were lost to follow-up). Supraventricular tachyarrhythmias were inducible in seven patients.

Conclusion: Our present study provides the first comprehensive analysis of EP findings in patients with IVNC. Ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias can readily be induced in these patients, whereas the inducibility of a sustained monomorphic VT is relatively low. Further studies including long-term follow-up are required to investigate the role of EP testing for arrhythmic risk stratification in these patients.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Cardiomyopathies / complications*
  • Cardiomyopathies / diagnosis*
  • Electrocardiography / methods*
  • Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular / complications*
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular / diagnosis*
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / complications*
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / diagnosis*
  • Young Adult