Fragmented Surface ECG Was a Poor Predictor of Appropriate Therapies in Patients with Chagas’ Cardiomyopathy and ICD Implantation (Fragmented ECG in CHAgas’ Cardiomyopathy Study)

Abstract

fQRS is highly prevalent among patients with CChC. It has been found a poor predictor of appropriate therapies delivered by the ICD in this population.

Recommendations for Multimodality Cardiac Imaging in Patients with Chagas Disease: A Report from the American Society of Echocardiography in Collaboration With the InterAmerican Association of Echocardiography (ECOSIAC) and the Cardiovascular Imaging Department of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology (DIC-SBC)

“…The presence of premature ventricular contractions, increased QT-interval dispersion, low-voltage QRS, QRS fragmentation, and prolonged QRS duration have all been associated with a worse prognosis. [38][39][40] Once ECG abnormalities arise, they imply disease progression (stage B; Table 1), preceding the appearance of HF symptoms (stages C and D). ECG abnormalities are frequent and related primarily with nonspecific repolarization alterations (30%-40%), right bundle branch block in conjunction with left anterior fascicular block (20%-35%), premature ventricular ectopic beats (5%-10%), and atrial fibrillation (5%-10%).…”

Diagnostic value of fragmented QRS complex in myocardial scar detection: systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature

“…There are several reports that show correlation between fQRS and other cardiac diseases [16] such as ventricular arrhythmias and idiopathic ventricular fibrillation [18], Brugada and acquired long QT syndromes [19], and a variety of structural heart diseases such as idiopathic dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies [20], Chagas' cardiomyopathy [21], and miscellaneous diseases such as Behcet's disease [22] and sarcoidosis [23]. Also, some studies reported fQRS as a normal LR -likelihood ratio; DOR -diagnostic odds ratio variant in the elderly population [24], who are a significant part of suspected CAD patients.…”

Sudden Cardiac Death in Chagas Disease

“…21 Our group studied patients with ChCM and ICD with the aim to evaluate the role of fQRS as a marker of arrhythmias. 22 We included 98 patients from 14 centers in Latin America; the mean follow up was 33±20 months. fQRS was found in 56 of the patients (59.6%).…”