Int J Arrhythm.  2020 Jun;21(2):e8. 10.1186/s42444-020-00016-6.

The relationship between J wave and ventricular tachycardia during Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

• Choi S
• Lee O
• Yoon G
• Kwon S
• Shin S
• Park S
• Woo S
• Kwan J
• Kim D
• Baek Y

• KMID: 2507220
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1186/s42444-020-00016-6

Abstract

Background and objectives
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) occasionally causes life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia. J wave on surface electrocardiography (sECG) has also been associated with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation and cardiac events; therefore, we investigated whether the presence of J wave on sECG is a potential risk factor for ventricular arrhythmia in patients with TTC.
Subjects and methods
We performed a retrospective study in 79 patients who were diagnosed with TTC from 2010 to 2014. Among them, 20 (25.3%) were diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia (VT). The J wave on the sECG was defined as J point elevation manifested through QRS notching or slurring at least 1 mm above the baseline in at least two leads.
Results
A higher prevalence of ventricular tachycardia was observed in patients with J wave. The corrected QT interval (QTc) was significantly longer in the VT group than in the non-VT group. In a multivariate analysis, the presence of J wave appeared to be the only independent predictors of VT [Hazard Ratio (HR) 3.5, p = 0.019].
Conclusion
Our results suggest that the presence of J wave on the sECG is significantly associated with VT, and appear to indicate that the presence of J wave is a strong and independent predictor of VT in patients with TTC.

Keyword

J wave; Ventricular tachycardia; Takotsubo cardiomyopathy