Electrocardiographic Characteristics in Patients With Cardiac Amyloidosis / 中国循环杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective: To study the diagnostic characteristics of cardiac amyloidosis (CA) by non-invasive electrocardiography (ECG) in relevant patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 60 CA patients diagnosed in our hospital from 2008-08 to 2013-12 for their clinical and ECG characteristics. Results: There were 48 male and 12 female patients with the ratio of 4 1. The ifrst time diagnosis rate was low and the average age for conifrmed diagnosis was at (54. 5±14. 2) years.①There were 32 (53. 3%) cases combining heart failure, 12 (20%) with pleural effusion, 20 (33. 3%) with atrial arrhythmia, 8 (13. 3%)with ventricular arrhythmia, 4 (6. 7%)with sino-atrial block, 15 (25%)with atrio-ventricular block, 4 (6. 7%) with left bundle branch block (LBBB), 5 (8. 3%)with RBBB and 8 (13. 3%)with intra-ventricular block.②There were 32 (53. 3%) cases with low voltage on limb leads, 52 (86. 7%) with pseudo-infarct pattern, 48 (60%) with ST-T abnormality and 30 (50%) combining low voltage on limb leads with pseudo-infarct pattern.③The patients combining pleural effusion and with pseudo-infarct pattern had the increased ratio of low voltage on limb leads, while there were still 22 (45. 8%) cases without pleural effusion had low voltage on limb leads.④ ECG characteristics for 60 CA patients were as follows QRS duration (104±26) ms, QT interval (404±34) ms, QTc (462±35) ms; the R wave of avR 0. 17 mV, QRS wave 0.30 mV; the R wave of limb leads and V1-3 were all<0.5mV, the S wave of V1-3 were 0. 62mV, 1. 61mV, 1. 56mV; the R/S ratio of V1-3 were 0. 19, 0. 12, 0. 20 respectively. Conclusion: CA patients had the highest incidence of pseudo-infarct pattern; meanwhile, combining with low voltage on limb leads, pseudo-infarct with long Q or S wave and ST-T abnormality but normal QRS duration was helpful for differential diagnosis of CA in clinical practice.