QRS fragmentation in standard ECG as a diagnostic marker of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia-cardiomyopathy.

Background: Epsilon potentials in right precordial leads are reliable diagnostic electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia-cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C). Sensitivity of epsilon potentials can be enhanced by highly amplified and modified ECG recording technique. Nevertheless, in many cases the definition of epsilon potentials remains difficult.
Objective: To overcome these limitations, the value of QRS fragmentation in a standard 12-lead ECG was analyzed in 360 patients with ARVD/C (176 men, mean age 47.3 +/- 13.7 years).
Methods: Analysis of QRS fragmentation of the whole collective of patients was compared with the detection of epsilon potentials in highly amplified right precordial and modified limb leads in a subgroup of 207 patients. Fifty-two phenotypically and genotypically nonaffected subjects from systematic family screening in 10 families with known plakophilin-2 and desmoplakin mutations served as a control group.
Results: QRS fragmentation could be found in a total of 306 of 360 patients (85%); 2.09 +/- 1.8 fragmented QRS complexes (range 1 to 7) could be found per patient. Fragmented QRS complexes in only 1 right precordial lead were found in 106 cases. In 190 cases, QRS fragmentation was present in more than 1 lead, including all 12 standard leads. Epsilon potentials in highly amplified right precordial and modified limb leads could be found in a total of 159 cases (77%). Typical epsilon potentials in highly amplified right precordial leads could be found in 97 cases (47%).
Conclusion: QRS fragmentation in ARVD/C has a high diagnostic value similar to epsilon potentials by a highly amplified and modified recording technique.