Right and left bundle branch block as predictors of long-term mortality following myocardial infarction

Lewinter, C., Torp-Pedersen, C., Cleland, J. G.F. and Køber, L. (2011) Right and left bundle branch block as predictors of long-term mortality following myocardial infarction. European Journal of Heart Failure, 13(12), pp. 1349-1354. (doi: 10.1093/eurjhf/hfr130) (PMID:22027083)

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Abstract

Aims: Patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) with bundle branch block (BBB) have a poor prognosis, but distinction between left (L)- and right (R)-sided BBB is seldom made in epidemiological studies. We studied long-term mortality associated with RBBB and LBBB in the TRAndolapril Cardiac Evaluation (TRACE) study. Methods and results: TRACE screened consecutive patients presenting with an MI and recorded clinical, electro- and echo-cardiographic variables. Subsequently, deaths were recorded during a minimum follow-up of 15 years. In total, 6676 consecutive patients with MI were hospitalized at 27 centres in Denmark. Of these, 533 (8%) had BBB, of whom 260 (4%) had RBBB and 273 (4%) had LBBB. Overall, 5196 (78%) patients died, 256 (94%) with LBBB and 235 (90%) with RBBB compared with 4705 (77%) of those without BBB (P < 0.001). In multivariable analyses, hazard ratios (HRs) of RBBB and LBBB were 1.23 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.07–1.42] and 1.05 (95% CI, 0.91–1.20), respectively. There was interaction between each type of BBB and left ventricular (LV) systolic function (P = 0.02). Right BBB was associated with a worse prognosis in patients with reduced LV systolic function [HR = 1.31 with wall motion index (WMI) ≤ 1.5 (95% CI, 1.11–1.55] while LBBB had a poor prognosis in patients with preserved LV systolic (HR if WMI > 1.5, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.12–2.57). Conclusions: Right BBB was a predictor of increased mortality in patients with reduced LV systolic function, whereas LBBB was a marker of increased mortality in patients with preserved LV systolic function.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Cleland, Professor John
Authors: Lewinter, C., Torp-Pedersen, C., Cleland, J. G.F., and Køber, L.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Robertson Centre
Journal Name:European Journal of Heart Failure
Publisher:Wiley
ISSN:1388-9842
ISSN (Online):1879-0844
Published Online:25 October 2011

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