Fragmented QRS in Lateral Leads on Electrocardiography Is Associated with Cardiac Dysfunction and Left Ventricular Dilation in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked inherited muscle disease. Patients with DMD demonstrate improved prognosis with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers at the time of cardiac dysfunction. However, most deaths due to DMD are due to cardiac dysfunction. Fragmented QRS (fQRS) is an abnormal finding that forms a notch in the QRS wave on electrocardiography (ECG) and is associated with fibrosis and scarring of the myocardium. Methods: Patients with DMD were examined for the number of leads of fQRS, their sites of appearance, changes in cardiac dysfunction, and age using the chest leads of a synthesized 18-ECG. A retrospective analysis of 184 patients under 20 years of age with DMD and known genetic mutations was performed; they were divided into three age groups: 3–10, 11–15, and 16–20 years. The chest leads of the ECG were defined as follows: V1-3, anterior leads; V4-6, lateral leads; V7-9, posterior leads; and V3R-V5R, right-sided chest leads. Cardiac dysfunction was defined as a left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction p = 0.003). The group with LV dilation had a significantly greater number of fQRS leads than did the non-dilation group (p = 0.009). Conclusions: The fQRS site is associated with age, cardiac dysfunction, and LV dilation. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the number of anterior leads of the fQRS correlated with age and that of lateral leads of the fQRS with cardiac dysfunction and LV dilation. The number of fQRS leads on the lateral wall marks cardiac dysfunction and LV dilation.
Funding Information
  • Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (#23K17203)

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