The Open Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Journal
(Discontinued)
ISSN: 1876-5335 ― Volume 8, 2015
Fragmented QRS and Ventricular Dyssynchrony in a Patient Treated with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
The Open Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Journal, 2009, 2: 18-20
Stelios Paraskevaidis, Georgios Giannakoulas, Kostas Polymeropoulos, Vassilios Vassilikos, Emmanouela Dalamanga, Haralambos Dalamanga, Stavros Hadjimiltiades, Georgios E. Parcharidis
Cardiology Department, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Electronic publication date 30/4/2009
[DOI: 10.2174/1876533500902010018]
Abstract:
Cardiac resynchronization is an established treatment modality in patients with heart failure NYHA class III-IV on optimal medical treatment, QRS duration of at least 120-130 ms and ejection fraction <35%. Nevertheless, a proportion of patients, up to 20-30%, are considered non-responders as they are not improved by cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). This report describes a 63-year-old patient with ischemic cardiomyopathy, severe mitral regurgitation, and fragmented QRS complex in several leads. The patient had LV dyssynchrony identified by echocardiographic tissue Doppler imaging. A biventricular pacemaker was implanted successfully, and resulted in improvement in LV dyssynchrony, LV dimensions, mitral regurgitation and symptoms. Fragmented QRS complex as a marker of ventricular dyssynchrony may play a role in identifying patients who may benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy.