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The ventricular gradient, a notion conceived by Wilson et al during the 1930s, has contributed considerably to a better understanding of the ECG manifestations of the cardiac repolarization process. The power of the ventricular gradient is its ability to assess the primary factors that contribute to the T wave (i.e., heterogeneity of action potential morphology throughout the ventricles) in the presence of secondary factors contributing to the T wave (i.e., heterogeneity in ventricular depolarization instants). Where T-wave morphology is an ECG expression of heterogeneity of the repolarization, the ventricular gradient discriminates between primary or secondary causes of such heterogeneity. Besides the spatial ventricular gradient (Burger’s three-dimensional elaboration of Wilson’s two-dimensional concept), body surface mapping of local components of the ventricular gradient has emerged as a technique for assessing local ventricular action potential duration heterogeneity. The latter is believed to contribute to localization of arrhythmogenic areas in the heart. The spatial ventricular gradient, which can be computed on the basis of a regular routine ECG and does not require body surface mapping, aims to assess the overall heterogeneity of ventricular action potential morphology. This review addresses the nature and diagnostic potential of the spatial ventricular gradient. The main focus is the role of the spatial ventricular gradient in ECG assessment of dispersion of repolarization, a key factor in arrhythmogeneity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Repolarization heterogeneity (RH) is functionally linked to dispersion in refractoriness and to arrhythmogenicity. In the current study, we validate several proposed electrocardiogram (ECG) indices for RH: T-wave amplitude, -area, -complexity, and -symmetry ratio, QT dispersion, and the Tapex-end interval (the latter being an index of transmural dispersion of the repolarization (TDR)). Methods and Results: We used ECGSIM, a mathematical simulation model of ECG genesis in a human thorax, and varied global RH by increasing the standard deviation (SD) of the repolarization instants from 20 (default) to 70 msec in steps of 10 msec. T-wave amplitude, -area, -symmetry, and Tapex-end depended linearly on SD. T-wave amplitude increased from 275 ± 173 to 881 ± 456 μV, T-wave area from 34 × 103± 21 × 103 to 141 × 103± 58 × 103μV msec, T-wave symmetry decreased from 1.55 ± 0.11 to 1.06 ± 0.23, and Tapex-end increased from 84 ± 17 to 171 ± 52 msec. T-wave complexity increased initially but saturated at SD = 50 msec. QT dispersion increased modestly until SD = 40 msec and more rapidly for higher values of SD. TDR increased linearly with SD. Tapex-end increased linearly with TDR, but overestimated it. Conclusion: T-wave complexity did not discriminate between differences in larger RH values. QT dispersion had low sensitivity in the transitional zone between normal and abnormal RH. In conclusion, T-wave amplitude, -area, -symmetry, and, with some limitations, Tapex-end and T-wave complexity reliably reflect changes in RH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To assess the effect of pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) on the repolarization of patients with tetralogy of Fallot. Background: Pulmonary valve regurgitation may cause right ventricular failure in adult patients with Fallot''s tetralogy. In these patients, prolonged depolarization and disturbed repolarization are associated with ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Methods: Thirty Fallot patients (age 32±9 years, 19 male) eligible for PVR were studied with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) before and 6 months after PVR. Electrocardiograms obtained during initial and follow-up CMR were analyzed and occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias was studied. Results: Right ventricular end-diastolic volume (RV EDV) decreased from 322±87 to 215±57 ml after PVR (P <0.0001). The spatial QRS-T angle normalized from 117±34 to 100±35°, P =0.0004 (normal angle <105°). QT dispersion and T-wave complexity did not change significantly. T-wave amplitude decreased from 376±121 to 329±100 μV (P =0.01). T-wave area decreased from 43±15 to 38±13 μV s (P =0.02). Decreases in T-wave amplitude and area were most prominent in the right precordial leads overlying the RV. Three patients had sustained ventricular arrhythmias and one patient died suddenly. These patients had a QRS duration >160 ms. No severe ventricular arrhythmias were found in patients with a RV EDV <220 ml, QRS-T angle <100°, QT dispersion <60 ms or T-wave complexity <0.30. Conclusion: Normal repolarization indices may be associated with the absence of severe ventricular arrhythmias. PVR in Fallot patients with dilated right ventricles has a beneficial effect on electrocardiographic indices of repolarization heterogeneity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]