Electrocardiographic markers of structural heart disease and predictors of death in 2332 unselected patients undergoing outpatient Holter recording

Aims To test the hypothesis that the QS interval of ventricular ectopic beats (VEBs) (ventricular ectopic QS interval, VEQSI) would provide a marker for the presence of structural heart disease and a predictor of mortality. Methods and results We interviewed and examined 2332 patients undergoing Hotter ECG monitoring for clinical indications. In persons with VEBs, the morphologies were counted and the QS interval was measured for each of these morphologies. The duration of the broadest VEB, measured from the QRS onset in the derivation showing the earliest onset to its end in the derivation showing the latest termination, was taken as that patient's VEQSI. Survival was ascertained from public health records. Of 15 electrocardiographic variables pre-selected as potential prognostic indicators, VEQSI demonstrated the strongest association with the presence of structural heart disease (P = 0.013). Thirty-four persons died in 16 +/- 4 months follow-up. Univariate predictors of mortality are age, history of myocardial infarction, maximum heart rate, QS interval, the number of VEB morphologies, and the VEQSI. On multivariate analysis, only age (P < 0.001) and the number of VEB morphologies (P = 0.02) predicted mortality. Conclusion VEQSI predicts the presence of structural heart disease. The number of VEB morphologies in a Hotter recording predicts all-cause mortality.