J wave

About: J wave is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 382 publications have been published within this topic receiving 12023 citations.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Associated with Early Repolarization

Abstract: Background: Early repolarization is a common electrocardiographic finding that is generally considered to be benign. Its potential to cause cardiac arrhythmias has been hypothesized from experimental studies, but it is not known whether there is a clinical association with sudden cardiac arrest. Methods: We reviewed data from 206 case subjects at 22 centers who were resuscitated after cardiac arrest due to idiopathic ventricular fibrillation and assessed the prevalence of electrocardiographic early repolarization. The latter was defined as an elevation of the QRS-ST junction of at least 0.1 mV from baseline in the inferior or lateral lead, manifested as QRS slurring or notching. The control group comprised 412 subjects without heart disease who were matched for age, sex, race, and level of physical activity. Follow-up data that included the results of monitoring with an implantable defibrillator were obtained for all case subjects. Results: Early repolarization was more frequent in case subjects with idiopathic ventricular fibrillation than in control subjects (31% vs. 5%, P<0.001). Among case subjects, those with early repolarization were more likely to be male and to have a history of syncope or sudden cardiac arrest during sleep than those without early repolarization. In eight subjects, the origin of ectopy that initiated ventricular arrhythmias was mapped to sites concordant with the localization of repolarization abnormalities. During a mean (+/-SD) follow-up of 61+/-50 months, defibrillator monitoring showed a higher incidence of recurrent ventricular fibrillation in case subjects with a repolarization abnormality than in those without such an abnormality (hazard ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.2 to 3.5; P=0.008). Conclusions: Among patients with a history of idiopathic ventricular fibrillation, there is an increased prevalence of early repolarization.

Long-Term Outcome Associated with Early Repolarization on Electrocardiography

Abstract: Background Early repolarization, which is characterized by an elevation of the QRS–ST junction (J point) in leads other than V1 through V3 on 12-lead electrocardiography, has been associated with vulnerability to ventricular fibrillation, but little is known about the prognostic significance of this pattern in the general population. Methods We assessed the prevalence and prognostic significance of early repolarization on 12-lead electrocardiography in a community-based general population of 10,864 middle-aged subjects (mean [±SD] age, 44±8 years). The primary end point was death from cardiac causes, and secondary end points were death from any cause and death from arrhythmia during a mean follow-up of 30±11 years. Early repolarization was stratified according to the degree of J-point elevation (≥0.1 mV or >0.2 mV) in either inferior or lateral leads. Results The early-repolarization pattern of 0.1 mV or more was present in 630 subjects (5.8%): 384 (3.5%) in inferior leads and 262 (2.4%) in lateral leads,...

Cellular Basis for the Electrocardiographic J Wave

Abstract: Background The J wave is a deflection that appears in the ECG as a late delta wave following the QRS or as a small secondary R wave (R′). Also referred to as an Osborn wave, the J wave has been observed in the ECG of animals and humans for more than four decades, yet the mechanism underlying its manifestation is poorly understood. The present study investigates the cellular basis for the J wave using an isolated arterially perfused preparation consisting of a wedge of canine right or left ventricle. Methods and Results A 12-lead ECG was initially recorded in vivo. After isolation and arterial perfusion of the right or left ventricular wedge, transmembrane action potentials were simultaneously recorded from epicardial, M region, and endocardial transmural sites with three floating microelectrodes. A transmural ECG was recorded concurrently. A J wave was observed at the R-ST junction of the ECG in 17 of 20 adult dogs, usually in leads II, III, aVR, and aVF and the mid to lateral precordial leads. The J wave...