J point elevation in high precordial leads associated with risk of ventricular fibrillation

Abstract

Introduction: The significance of high precordial electrocardiograms in idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) is unknown. Method: This study included 50 consecutive patients (48 men; age, 42 ± 18 years) who had spontaneous ventricular fibrillation not linked to structural heart disease and received implantable cardiac defibrillator therapy. IVF was diagnosed in 35 patients and Brugada syndrome was diagnosed in other 15 patients. Electrocardiograms in high intercostal space were compared between 35 patients with IVF and 105 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (patient: control ratio, 1:3). Results: The frequency of J point elevation ≥ 0.1 mV in the 4th intercostal spaces was similar between patients with IVF (14%) and healthy controls (7%). However, the frequency of J point elevation ≥ 0.1 mV in the 3rd intercostal space was higher in patients with IVF (40%) than controls (11%) (p