Skip Navigation

European Heart Journal 2003 24(14):1357-1364; doi:10.1016/S0195-668X(03)00203-3
Copyright © 2003 by the European Society of Cardiology.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (44)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kardys, I.
Right arrow Articles by C.M. Witteman, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kardys, I.
Right arrow Articles by C.M. Witteman, J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Regular Articles

Spatial QRS-T angle predicts cardiac death in a general population

Isabella Kardysa, Jan A Korsb, Irene M van der Meera, Albert Hofmana, Deirdre A.M van der Kuipa and Jacqueline C.M. Wittemana,*

a Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
b Department of Medical Informatics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands

* Corresponding author: Dr J.C.M. Witteman, Erasmus MC, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 10 4087365; fax: +31 10 4089382
E-mail address: witteman{at}epib.fgg.eur.nl

Received 24 November 2002; revised 7 March 2003; accepted 12 March 2003

Aims The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic importance of the spatial QRS-T angle for fatal and non-fatal cardiac events.

Methods and results Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were recorded in 6134 men and women aged 55 years and over from the prospective population-based Rotterdam Study. Spatial QRS-T angles were categorized as normal, borderline or abnormal. Using Cox's proportional hazards model, abnormal angles showed increased hazard ratios of cardiac death (age-and sex-adjusted hazard ratio 5.2 (95% CI 4.0–6.8)), non-fatal cardiac events (2.2 (1.5–3.1)), sudden death (5.6 (3.7–8.5)) and total mortality (2.3 (2.0–2.7)). None of the classical cardiovascular and ECG predictors provided larger hazard ratios. After adjustment for these predictors, the association of abnormal spatial QRS-T angles with all fatal study endpoints remained strong, but the association with non-fatal cardiac events disappeared. Computation of Akaike's information criterion showed that the angle contributed significantly to the prediction of all fatal endpoints by classical cardiovascular and ECG predictors.

Conclusion The spatial QRS-T angle is a strong and independent predictor of cardiac mortality in the elderly. It is stronger than any of the classical cardiovascular risk factors and ECG risk indicators and provides additional value to them in predicting fatal cardiac events.

Key Words: Cardiac mortality • Spatial QRS-T angle • Repolarization • Vectorcardiogram


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Circ Arrhythm ElectrophysiolHome page
C. J. W. Borleffs, R. W.C. Scherptong, S.-C. Man, G. H. van Welsenes, J. J. Bax, L. van Erven, C. A. Swenne, and M. J. Schalij
Predicting Ventricular Arrhythmias in Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease: Clinical Application of the ECG-Derived QRS-T Angle
Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol, October 1, 2009; 2(5): 548 - 554.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Nephrol Dial TransplantHome page
A. Jaroszynski, E. Czekajska-Chechab, A. Drelich-Zbroja, T. Zapolski, and A. Ksiazek
Spatial QRS-T angle in peritoneal dialysis patients: association with carotid artery atherosclerosis, coronary artery calcification and troponin T
Nephrol. Dial. Transplant., March 1, 2009; 24(3): 1003 - 1008.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 CirculationHome page
B. B. Pavri, M. B. Hillis, H. Subacius, G. E. Brumberg, A. Schaechter, J. H. Levine, A. Kadish, and for the Defibrillators in Nonischemic Cardiomyopat
Prognostic Value and Temporal Behavior of the Planar QRS-T Angle in Patients With Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy
Circulation, June 24, 2008; 117(25): 3181 - 3186.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 JAMAHome page
M. J. Bos, M. J. E. van Rijn, J. C. M. Witteman, A. Hofman, P. J. Koudstaal, and M. M. B. Breteler
Incidence and Prognosis of Transient Neurological Attacks
JAMA, December 26, 2007; 298(24): 2877 - 2885.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Appl. Physiol.Home page
A. Rubulis, J. Jensen, G. Lundahl, J. Tapanainen, and L. Bergfeldt
Ischemia induces aggravation of baseline repolarization abnormalities in left ventricular hypertrophy: a deleterious interaction
J Appl Physiol, July 1, 2006; 101(1): 102 - 110.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur Heart JHome page
I. Kardys, M. P.M. de Maat, A. G. Uitterlinden, A. Hofman, and J. C.M. Witteman
C-reactive protein gene haplotypes and risk of coronary heart disease: the Rotterdam Study
Eur. Heart J., June 1, 2006; 27(11): 1331 - 1337.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Am Coll CardiolHome page
S. M.J.M. Straus, J. A. Kors, M. L. De Bruin, C. S. van der Hooft, A. Hofman, J. Heeringa, J. W. Deckers, J. H. Kingma, M. C.J.M. Sturkenboom, B. H. Ch. Stricker, et al.
Prolonged QTc Interval and Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death in a Population of Older Adults
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., January 17, 2006; 47(2): 362 - 367.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.