Atrial septal defect patients with greater shunts show susceptibility for ventricular arrhythmias

Abstract

Objective: Ventricular arrhythmia episodes are not infrequent in patients with atrial septal defect (ASD). Disturbance in cardiac volume and pressures may lead to enlargement and fibrosis in heart. An interatrial volume displacement through septal defect, briefly interatrial shunt, is the major reason for this complication. Prolongation of the interval between the peak and end of the T wave (Tpeak to Tend, Tp-e) on the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), is utilized as a marker of ventricular arrhythmogenesis during last years. The aim of this study was to assess if there is an impact of shunt ratio on ventricular repolarization in patients with ASD by using Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT ratio, and Tp-e/QTc ratio. Methods: Patient records of Samsun Training and Research Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Electrocardiograms of 133 patients, who were diagnosed as ASD between January 2016 and December 2019 were obtained and scanned. ECG intervals were measured. Shunt ratios, right ventricle diameters and volumes were also acquired. Patients were grouped into two by their calculated shunt ratio, ratio of ≥2.0 is accepted as a high shunt group and <2.0 as a low shunt group. Results: Both groups’ baseline characteristics were similar. Right ventricular dimensions and systolic pulmonary artery pressure were higher in high shunt group. Furthermore, ASD patients with higher shunt ratio had significantly higher ECG measurements than controls, Tp-e: 103.0 (22.1) vs 76.2 (10.2); Tp-e/QT: 0.25 (0.03) vs 0.21 (0.02); Tp-e/QTc: 0.22 (0.03)  vs, 0.17 (0.02); for all p<0.001). Of all ECG parameters; Tp-e (r=0.631, p<0.001), Tp-e/QT (r=0.531, p<0.001) and Tp-e/QTc (r=0.614, p<0.001) had moderate correlation with shunt ratio. Conclusion: T wave peak-to-end interval is a measure of transmural dispersion of repolarization and accepted as a surrogate for increased ventricular arrhythmogenesis risk. Our findings show that ASD patients whose shunt ratio are ≥2.0 show increased risk for arrhythmias. Key words: atrial septal defect, electrocardiogram, ventricular arrhythmia, risk, ventricular repolarization