QRS prolongation in the prediction of clinical cardiac events in patients with acute heart failure: analysis of data from the Korean Acute Heart Failure Registry.

OBJECTIVES: A prolonged QRS duration has been associated with an unfavorable prognosis in chronic compensated heart failure (HF). However, its predictive value during an admission for acute HF is limited, even in HF with a preserved ejection fraction (EF). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic utility of the QRS duration in acute HF. METHODS: Analyses were performed using data from 1,489 patients with a 2-year follow-up. The patients were selected from the Korean Acute Heart Failure Registry and were divided into three groups according to QRS duration (≤80, 81-119 or ≥120 ms). The all-cause mortality and readmission for HF were assessed. RESULTS: During the study period, 774 primary events occurred (359 deaths and 415 HF). The event frequencies were higher in patients with a prolonged QRS duration. The increased risk associated with the QRS duration was also demonstrated after adjustment for cardiac outcome variables. The prognostic significance of the QRS duration was demonstrated in patients with reduced EF but not in those with a preserved EF. CONCLUSIONS: A prolonged QRS duration could be a significant predictor of the 2-year cardiac outcome in patients with acute HF, particularly in those with a reduced EF.