부산대학교 도서관

Background: Characteristics and risk factors associated with electrocardiographic borderline Q-waves are not fully elucidated, especially in individuals without overt cardiovascular disease (CVD). Also, the relation of isolated and non-isolated borderline Q-waves with subclinical atherosclerosis and vascular stiffness is unknown. Methods: We included 5,746 Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity study participants without overt CVD. Participants were divided in three groups: no Q-waves (93.7%), isolated (4.6%) and non-isolated borderline Q-waves (1.7%). Borderline Q-waves were defined as Minnesota Codes 1.2.x and 1.3.x and non-isolated as ≥1 of abnormal QRS axis, left ventricular hypertrophy or ST/T abnormalities. Several characteristics and measures of body fat were assessed. Vascular stiffness was assessed by pulse wave velocity (PWV) and subclinical atherosclerosis by carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). Results: Percentage of men, alcohol intake, blood pressure and fasting glucose concentrations were, compared with the no Q-waves group, higher in the isolated and highest in the non-isolated borderline Q-wave group. Isolated borderline Q-waves were associated with higher body mass index (difference compared with no Q-waves:1.0 kg/m2; 95%CI: 0.3-1.7), waist circumference (3.4cm; 1.0-5.8), and visceral adipose tissue (21.9 cm2; 7.4-36.3) and differences were even larger for non-isolated borderline Q-waves. Compared with no Q-waves, non-isolated borderline Q-waves were associated with higher PWV (1.2 m/s; 0.4-2.0) and cIMT (23.4 μm; 3.0-43.8), whereas isolated borderline Q-waves were not. Conclusions: Cardiovascular risk factors and measures of body fat, especially abdominal adiposity, were higher in participants with isolated borderline Q-waves, compared with no Q-waves, and highest in participants with non-isolated borderline Q-waves. Non-isolated borderline Q-waves were associated with subclinical atherosclerosis and vascular stiffness. Future studies should investigate potential added value of borderline Q-waves in CVD prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]