Application of noninvasive signal-averaged electrocardiogram analysis in predicting the requirement of epicardial ablation in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND

Signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) provides not only diagnostic information but also the prognostic implication of ablation in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC).

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to validate the role of SAECG in identifying arrhythmogenic substrates requiring an epicardial approach in ARVC.

METHODS

Ninety-one patients with a definite diagnosis of ARVC who underwent successful ablation for drug-refractory ventricular arrhythmia were enrolled and classified into 2 groups: group 1 who underwent successful ablation at the endocardium only and group 2 who underwent successful ablation requiring an additional epicardial approach. The baseline characteristics of patients and SAECG parameters were obtained for analysis.

RESULTS

Male predominance, worse right ventricular (RV) function, higher incidence of syncope, and depolarization abnormality were observed in group 2. Moreover, the number of abnormal SAECG criteria was higher in group 2 than in group 1. After a multivariate analysis, the independent predictors of the requirement of epicardial ablation included the number of abnormal SAECG criteria (odds ratio 2.8, 95% confidence interval 1.4-5.4; P = .003) and presence of syncope (odds ratio 11.7; 95% confidence interval 2.7-50.4; P = .001). In addition, ≥2 abnormal SAECG criteria were associated with larger RV endocardial unipolar low-voltage zone (P < .001), larger RV endocardial/epicardial bipolar low-voltage zone/scar (P < .05), and longer RV endocardial/epicardial total activation time (P < .001 and P = .004, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The number of abnormal SAECG criteria was correlated with the extent of diseased epicardial substrates and could be a potential surrogate marker for predicting the requirement of epicardial ablation in patients with ARVC.