Prevalence and prognostic significance of exercise-induced nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in asymptomatic volunteers: BLSA (Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging). 

 -  2013 
<br/><br/>Available online from MWHC library: 1995 - present, Available in print through MWHC library:1999-2007 
<br/><br/> BACKGROUND: Prior studies have reported variable risk associated with exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmia.  CONCLUSIONS: Exercise-induced NSVT occurred in nearly 4% of this asymptomatic adult cohort. This finding increased with age and was more common in men. After adjustment for clinical variables, exercise-induced NSVT did not independently increase the risk of total mortality. Copyright  2013 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.  METHODS: Subjects in the BLSA (Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging) free of known cardiovascular disease who completed at least 1 symptom-limited exercise treadmill test between 1977 and 2001 were included. NSVT episodes were characterized by QRS morphology, duration, and rate. Subjects underwent follow-up clinical evaluation every 2 years.  OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine the clinical predictors and prognostic significance of exercise-induced nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) in a large population of asymptomatic volunteers.  RESULTS: The 2,099 subjects (mean age: 52 years; 52.2% male) underwent a mean of 2.7 exercise tests, in which 79 (3.7%)developed NSVT with exercise on at least 1 test. The median duration of NSVT was 3 beats (<=5 beats in 84%), and the median rate was 175 beats/min. Subjects with (vs. without) NSVT were older (67 +/- 12 years vs. 51+/-17 years, p< 0.0001) and more likely to be male (80% vs. 51%, p< 0.0001) and to have baseline electrocardiographic abnormalities (50% vs. 17%, p< 0.0001) or ischemic ST-segment 131223s with exercise (20% vs. 10%, p= 0.004). Over a mean follow-up of 13.5 +/- 7.7 years, 518 deaths (24.6%) occurred. After multivariable adjustment for age, sex, and coronary risk factors, exercise-induced NSVT was not significantly associated with total mortality (hazard ratio: 1.30; 95% confidence interval: 0.89 to 1.90; p= 0.17). 
<br/><br/><br/>English 
<br/><br/><label>ISSN: </label>0735-1097 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Topical Terms: </label><br/>*Aging/ph [Physiology]<br/>*Exercise Test/ae [Adverse Effects]<br/>*Tachycardia, Ventricular/ep [Epidemiology]<br/>*Tachycardia, Ventricular/et [Etiology]<br/>Adult<br/>Age Factors<br/>Aged<br/>Baltimore<br/>Confidence Intervals<br/>Electrocardiography/mt [Methods]<br/>Female<br/>Geriatric Assessment/mt [Methods]<br/>Human Experimentation<br/>Humans<br/>Kaplan-Meier Estimate<br/>Longitudinal Studies<br/>Male<br/>Middle Aged<br/>Multivariate Analysis<br/>Prevalence<br/>Proportional Hazards Models<br/>Prospective Studies<br/>Reference Values<br/>Severity of Illness Index<br/>Sex Factors<br/>Survival Rate<br/>Tachycardia, Ventricular/di [Diagnosis]
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Geographic Terms: </label><br/>MedStar Health Research Institute<br/>MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute
<br/><br/><label>Index Terms--Function: </label><br/>Comparative Study<br/>Journal Article