Intra-QT Spectral Coherence as a Possible Noninvasive Marker of Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia
Sudden cardiac death is the main cause of mortality in patients affected by chronic heart failure (CHF) and with history of myocardial infarction. No study yet investigated the intra-QT phase spectral coherence as a possible tool in stratifying the arrhythmic susceptibility in patients at risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). We, therefore, assessed possible difference in spectral coherence between the ECG segment extending from theqwave to theTwave peak (QTp) and the one fromTwave peak to theTwave end (Te) between patients with and without Holter ECG-documented sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). None of the QT variability indexes as well as most of the coherences and RR power spectral variables significantly differed between the two groups except for theQTp-Tespectral coherence. The latter was significantly lower in patients with sustained VT than in those without (0.508±0.150versus0.607±0.150,P<0.05). Although the responsible mechanism remains conjectural, theQTp-Tespectral coherence holds promise as a noninvasive marker predicting malignant ventricular arrhythmias.