Exploring the Impact of Fragmented QRS on Ejection Fraction and Other Echocardiographic Parameters in Systemic Sclerosis Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Fragmented QRS in Systemic Sclerosis Patients

Abstract

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disorder that leads to fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. Fragmented QRS (fQRS) is an important electrocardiogram (ECG) finding which is related to myocardial fibrosis. This study aims to evaluate the effect of fQRS on ejection fraction (EF) and other echocardiographic parameters in individuals diagnosed with SSc.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study including 52 patients with fQRS as the case group and 60 patients without fQRS as the controls. The characteristics and echocardiographic parameters of the patients from a minimum of three-year interval were recorded. All the data were compared between the two groups with the SPSS software version 20.0 for Windows.

Results: There were no significant differences in demographics, paraclinical results, and echocardiographic parameters including average ejection fraction, pulmonary hypertension, and tricuspid regurgitation velocity between cases and controls at the beginning and the end of the follow-up.

Conclusion: FQRS is considered to have no significant effect on EF and other echocardiographic parameters over at least a three-year interval in SSc patients. However, additional research with longer periods of follow-up and larger sample sizes is needed to completely recognize their association.