© 2004 by European Society of Cardiology
Prognostic significance of right ventricular extrasystoles
aWilhelminenspital - III, Medizinische Abteilung, Ludwig Boltzmann Institut für Arrhythmieforschung Montleartstrasse 37, 1170 Vienna, Austria; bUniversity of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Department of Food Science and Technology Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Extrasystoles (RVES) from the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) are a common arrhythmia in routine ECGs.
METHODS: In this prospective study 56 consecutive patients with RVES (22 males, 34 females) were examined for morphological and/or functional right ventricular (RV) abnormalities by 12-lead, Holter, exercise ECGs, transthoracic echocardiography and signal averaging. The follow-up time was 3.1–15.8 years (arithmetic mean±SD=7.2±1.6 years; median, 6.9 years). Patients with hyperthyroidism, structural cardiovascular and/or lung diseases were excluded.
RESULTS: A total of 57.1% of the patients with RVES presented with echomorphologic abnormalities of the right ventricle (RV). In 26.8% the echomorphologic right ventricular abnormalities progressed in 33.3% of patients with normal RVs at baseline (group I) and in 21.9% of those with abnormal RVs at baseline (group II).
No significant differences were found between the 2 patient groups in terms of age at onset, family history, ECG changes, late potentials and malignant right ventricular outflow tract arrhythmias on 24-h and exercise ECGs. While females predominated in group I, males were numerous in group II (p=0.006). Sustained ventricular tachycardia, syncope or sudden death were absent throughout the follow-up.
CONCLUSION: Patients with RVES carry a good prognosis in terms of morbidity and mortality no matter whether echomorphologic abnormalities are present or not.
Key Words: extrasystoles from the right ventricular outflow tract, structural/functional abnormalities, prognosis
*Corresponding author. Tel.: +43-1-49150-300; fax: +43-1491502309. E-mail address: barbara.zweytick{at}3me.wil.magwien.gv.at (B. Zweytick).
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