Association of inverted T wave during atrial fibrillation rhythm with subsequent cardiac events

OBJECTIVE: The clinical significance of ECG abnormalities during atrial fibrillation (AF) rhythm is poorly understood. The aim of the current study was to explore the impact of inverted T wave on cardiac prognosis in patients with AF. METHODS: The current study enrolled 2709 patients with AF whose baseline ECG was available from a Japanese community-based prospective survey, the Fushimi AF Registry, and the impact of inverted T wave in baseline ECG at AF rhythm on the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction and hospitalisation due to heart failure was examined. RESULTS: Intraventricular conduction delay, ST segment depression and inverted T wave were observed in 15.8%, 24.7% and 41.4% of baseline ECG with a mean heart rate of 94.7 beats per minute. The median follow-up duration was 5.0 years. The incidence rate of the composite cardiac endpoint was significantly higher in patients with inverted T wave than those without (5.8% vs 3.3% per patient-year, log-rank p<0.01). The higher risk associated with inverted T wave was consistent even for individual components of the composite cardiac endpoint. By multivariable analysis, inverted T wave was an independent predictor of the composite cardiac endpoint (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.26 to 1.85, p<0.01). Inverted T wave was detected in 15.7% at anterior leads, 19.8% at inferior leads and 26.6% at lateral leads. The location of inverted T wave was not associated with risk of composite cardiac endpoint. CONCLUSIONS: Inverted T wave was commonly observed in patients with AF and its presence during AF rhythm was associated with subsequent cardiac events.