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7084658 
Journal Article 
The ventricular tachycardia score: a novel approach to electrocardiographic diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia 
Jastrzebski, M; Sasaki, K; Kukla, P; Fijorek, K; Stec, S; Czarnecka, D; , 
2016 
Yes 
Europace
ISSN: 1099-5129
EISSN: 1532-2092 
OXFORD UNIV PRESS 
OXFORD 
578-584 
25995387 
WOS:000376383000016 
Electrocardiographic diagnosis of wide QRS complex tachycardia (WCT) continues to be challenging as none one of the available methods is specific for ventricular tachycardia (VT) diagnosis. We aimed to construct a method for WCT differentiation based on a scoring system, in which ECGs are graded according to the number of VT-specific features. This novel method was validated and compared with Brugada algorithm and other methods.A total of 786 WCTs (512 VTs) from 587 consecutive patients with a proven diagnosis were analysed by two blinded observers. The VT score method was based on seven ECG features: initial R wave in V1, initial r > 40 ms in V1/V2, notched S in V1, initial R in aVR, lead II R wave peak time a parts per thousand yen50 ms, no RS in V1-V6, and atrioventricular dissociation. Atrioventricular dissociation was assigned two points, and each of the other features was assigned one point. The overall accuracy of VT score a parts per thousand yen1 for VT diagnosis (83%) was higher than that of the aVR (72%, P = 0.001) and Brugada (81%) algorithms. Ventricular tachycardia score a parts per thousand yen3 was present in 66% of VTs and was more specific (99.6%) than any other algorithm/criterion for VT diagnosis. Ventricular tachycardia score a parts per thousand yen4 was present in 33% of VTs and was 100% specific for VT.The new ECG-based method provides a certain diagnosis of VT in the majority of patients with VT, identifies unequivocal ECGs, and has superior overall diagnostic accuracy to other ECG methods.