Electrocardiographic markers of left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with left bundle branch block

Background: Although some patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) have structural heart diseases, some patients with LBBB have "normal hearts". The electrocardiography (ECG) criteria of LBBB in reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) have not been defined completely. Aim: The main purpose of this study was to differentiate patients with reduced LVEF from patients with normal left ventricular systolic function simply by analysing 12-lead ECG. Methods: Subjects admitted to our hospital with LBBB in their ECG were included in the study. The patients were categorised according to their left ventricular systolic function as group 1 (LVEF >= 50%) and group 2 (LVEF < 50%). Duration of the QRS complex, residual conduction of left bundle branch, and concordance/discordance of T waves in leads V5, V6, or D1 were recorded. The ECG findings of the two groups were compared. Results: One hundred consecutive patients with LBBB were included in the study (male/female: 56/44, age: 66 +/- 15 years). In the whole group, there were 35 patients with normal left ventricular systolic function (LVEF >= 50%), and 65 patients had LVEF below 50%. 80% of male patients with LBBB and 45% of female patients with LBBB had their LVEF below 50% (p < 0.001). Mean QRS durations of group 1 and group 2 were 132 +/- 10 ms vs. 152 +/- 22 ms, respectively (p < 0.001). The QRS duration of 140 ms was found to be the cut-off value to differentiate group 1 from group 2, with sensitivity and specificity of 72% and 75%, respectively. Twenty-one per cent of patients in group 1 and 69% in group 2 had discordant LBBB (p < 0.001). Residual conduction of left bundle branch was more frequent in group 2 (29% in group 1 vs. 52% in group 2, p = 0.03). Conclusions: Male gender, QRS duration greater than 140 ms, discordant LBBB, and residual conduction in the left bundle branch seem to be markers of reduced LVEF in patients with LBBB.