Elucidation of Mechanism of Ventricular Fibrillation and Development of Markers in Predicting Sudden Cardiac Death by Medical-Engineering Cooperation

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K09103
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cardiovascular medicine
• Research Institution: Toho University
• Principal Investigator: IKEDA Takanori 東邦大学, 医学部, 教授 (80256734)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 阿部 敦子 東邦大学, 医学部, 博士研究員 (40584644) ; 中沢 一雄 国立研究開発法人国立循環器病研究センター, 病院, 非常勤研究員 (50198058) ; 芦原 貴司 滋賀医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (80396259)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): INADA Shin 姫路獨協大学, 医療保健学部, 准教授 (50349792)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 電気生理学的指標 / 心臓突然死 / 心室細動 / コンピュータシミュレーション / ホルター心電図

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is caused by ventricular fibrillation (VF). We seek to clarify the mechanism of VF and to establish electrophysiological indices for predicting SCD.
We initially assessed electrophysiological indices for the generation of VF by computer simulation. As the result, the generation of VF is associated with repolarization abnormality and depolarization abnormality. Then, in patients with previous myocardial infarction or cardiomyopathy, we simultaneously analyzed T-wave alternans as a repolarization abnormality index, ventricular late potentials as a depolarization abnormality index, and heart rate turbulence as an autonomic imbalance index using the 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram. As the result, these electrophysiological indices were highly associated with cardiac events such as life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and cardiac mortality. The present study suggests that combined use of these markers could identify detect patients at risk for SCD.

Free Research Field

循環器内科学