Table 1 Baseline characteristics and outcomes of patients according to the episodes of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia
Variable | All patients | Patients without episodes | Patients with 1–5 episodes | Patients with > 5 episodes | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n = 416 | n = 166 (40) | n = 130 (31) | n = 120 (29) | ||
Age, years | 65 ± 11 | 63 ± 12 | 65 ± 12 | 69 ± 9 | < 0.001† |
Male gender | 87% | 87% | 88% | 87% | 0.9* |
Ischemic etiology | 62% | 63% | 62% | 63% | 0.8* |
Secondary prevention | 37% | 35% | 38% | 37% | 0.8* |
Atrial fibrillation | 22% | 15% | 20% | 32% | 0.002* |
New York Heart Association Functional Class > 1 | 63% | 56% | 64% | 71% | 0.036* |
Diabetes | 25% | 28% | 22% | 24% | 0.5† |
Left ventricular ejection fraction (%) | 30 ± 8 | 30 ± 8 | 30 ± 9 | 30 ± 7 | 0.8† |
QRS duration (ms) | 118 ± 24 | 114 ± 23 | 120 ± 22 | 121 ± 26 | 0.018‡ |
Serum creatinine (mg/dl) | 1.22 ± 0.48 | 1.15 ± 0.33 | 1.22 ± 0.37 | 1.32 ± 0.7 | 0.012† |
Previous clinical nonsustained ventricular tachycardias | 36% | 11% | 39% | 51% | < 0.001* |
Statins | 62% | 63% | 61% | 59% | 0.7* |
Beta-blockers | 76% | 83% | 82% | 70% | 0.011§ |
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers | 86% | 86% | 85% | 89% | 0.7* |
Amiodarone | 13% | 8% | 15% | 20% | 0.011* |
Digoxin | 18% | 9% | 22% | 25% | 0.001|| |
Appropriate therapy | 46% | 27% | 48% | 70% | < 0.001¶ |
Appropriate therapy due to MVT | 44% | 26% | 45% | 66% | < 0.001¶ |
Appropriate therapy due to VF | 6.5% | 3% | 7% | 12% | 0.026¶ |
Appropriate shock | 27% | 16% | 25% | 44% | < 0.001¶ |
Cardiac mortality | 17% | 7% | 18% | 32% | < 0.001¶ |