QT dispersion has no prognostic information for patients with advanced congestive heart failure and reduced left ventricular systolic function

Background-QT dispersion is a potential prognostic marker of tachyarrhythmi c events and death, but it is unclear whether this applies to patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Methods and Results-Of the 1518 patients with advanced CHF and left ventric ular dysfunction enrolled in the Danish Investigations of Arrhythmia and Mo rtality on Dofetilide-CHF (Diamond-CHF) study, a baseline ECG was available in 1319 patients. Of these, QT dispersion could be measured in 703 patient s. During a median follow-up of 18 months (minimum 1 year), 285 patients (4 1%) died. The median QT dispersion was 70 ms (34/155 ms [5%/95% percentiles ]), with no difference between survivors and nonsurvivors. Survival analysi s revealed no prognostic information derived from QT dispersion regarding a ll-cause mortality (risk ratio 1.00, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.00; P=0.74), cardiac mortality (risk ratio 1.00, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.01; P=0.55), or cardiac arrhyt hmic mortality (risk ratio 1.00, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.01; P = 0.38). Conclusions-QT dispersion has no prognostic value regarding all-cause morta lity, cardiac mortality, or cardiac arrhythmic mortality fur patients with advanced CHF and reduced left ventricular systolic function.