Characteristics and associated factors of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with chronic heart failure

Abstract

Objective To investigate the characteristics and associated factors of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with chronic heart failure. Methods Two hundred and forty two heart failure patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HF-REF) without hemodynamic disorder were consecutively enrolled in Armed police general hospital from January 2014 to October 2016. Left ventricular diastolic ending internal diameter, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and E/A values were assessed by cardiac ultrasound. Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), ventricular bigeminy, frequent PVCs, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) and average heart rate were assessed by 24 hour ambulatory electrocardiogram (AECG). Results AECG showed the presence of PVCs, ventricular bigeminy, frequent PVCs, and NSVT was 80.2% (194/242), 58.3% (141/242), 28.1% (68/242) and 16.1% (39/242), respectively. Of whom, 35 patients had monomorphic NSVT and 4 patients had polymorphism NSVT. Multiple logistic analysis showed that the association between the etiology of heart failure and the presence of ventricular arrhythmias was not significantly different (all P<0.05). LVEF (OR=0.777, 95% CI =0.662-0.912, P=0.002) was associated with the presence of PVCs. LVEF (OR=0.670, 95% CI =0.555-0.809, P<0.001) and average heart rate (OR=1.047, 95% CI =1.006-1.090, P=0.024) were associated with the presence of frequent PVCs. LVEF (OR=0.659, 95% CI =0.529-0.822, P<0.001) and E/A values (OR=6.845, 95% CI =1.563-9.979, P=0.011) were associated with the presence of NSVT. Conclusion The prevalence of ventricular arrhythmias was frequent in patients with HFREF. LVEF was associated with the presence of different types of ventricular arrhythmias. Key words: Heart failure; Arrhythmias, cardiac; Associated factors