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To the Editor: In their study of hospitalization for heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, Dr Wang and colleagues¹ found that a prolonged baseline QRS duration was an independent predictor of high postdischarge morbidity and mortality. They also observed that patients who experienced a change in QRS duration during hospitalization had an increased rate of end points.

The authors noted that several studies have linked serial incremental changes in QRS duration to an increase in adverse cardiac events. In these studies, the serial electrocardiograms (ECGs) were performed at separate time points over a period of months, but the period in the study by Wang et al was shorter-term (10 days or less). Incremental prolongation of QRS duration over months has been demonstrated to be closely correlated with deterioration of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function, resulting in worse prognosis.² However, it is uncertain whether variance of QRS duration . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Mao Chen, PhD, MD
hmaochen@vip.sina.com
Department of Cardiology
West China Hospital, Sichuan University
Chengdu, China

Chang Huo, MBBS
Department of Internal Medicine
No. 4 Hospital of Sichuan Province
Chengdu, China

De-jia Huang, MD
Department of Cardiology
West China Hospital, Sichuan University

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