Enhancing Comprehensive Assessments in Chronic Heart Failure Caused by Ischemic Heart Disease: The Diagnostic Utility of Holter ECG Parameters

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Chronic heart failure (CHF) caused by ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the leading cause of death worldwide and presents significant health challenges. Effective management of IHD requires prevention, early detection, and treatment to improve patient outcomes. This study aims to expand the diagnostic utility of various 24 h Holter ECG parameters, such as T-wave alternans (TWA), late ventricular potentials (LVPs), and heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with CHF caused by IHD. Additionally, we seek to explore the association between these parameters and other comorbid conditions affecting the prognosis of CHF patients. Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective case–control study with 150 patients divided into two subgroups: 100 patients with CHF caused by IHD, and 50 patients in the control group. Data included medical history, physical examination, laboratory tests, echocardiography, and 24 h Holter monitoring. Results: Our comparative analysis demonstrated that both TWA and LVPs were significantly higher in patients with CHF compared to the control group (p < 0.01), indicating increased myocardial electrical vulnerability in CHF patients. Both time and frequency-domain HRV parameters were significantly lower in the CHF group. However, the ratio of NN50 to the total count of NN intervals (PNN50) showed a borderline significance (p = 0.06). While the low-frequency (LF) domain was significantly lower in CHF patients, the high-frequency (HF) domain did not differ significantly between groups. Acceleration and deceleration capacities were also significantly altered in CHF patients. Categorizing CHF patients by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) revealed that the mean of the 5-min normal-to-normal intervals over the complete recording (SDNN Index) was significantly higher in patients with LVEF ≥ 50% compared to those with CHF with reduced EF and CHF with mildly reduced EF (p < 0.001), whereas the other HRV parameters showed no significant differences among the groups. Conclusions: Holter ECG parameters can become a reliable tool in the assessment of patients with CHF. The integration of multiple Holter ECG parameters, such as TWA, LVPs, and HRV, can significantly enhance the diagnostic assessment of CHF caused by IHD. This comprehensive approach allows for a more nuanced understanding of the patient’s condition and potential outcomes.