Key result
Natural time analysis of electrocardiograms predicted that ventricular fibrillation starts within ~3 hours in 16 out of 18 sudden cardiac deaths after entropy change under time reversal maximizes.
Why the study?
Sudden cardiac death may occur despite electrocardiograms appearing similar to healthy individuals, and methods to identify risk and estimate timing are needed.
Does analyzing electrocardiograms in natural time identify sudden cardiac death risk and estimate its occurrence time?
Observational (n=159)
Does analyzing electrocardiograms in natural time identify sudden cardiac death risk and estimate its occurrence time?
Analyzing ECGs in natural time using entropy change under time reversal can identify impending ventricular fibrillation within approximately 3 hours.
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a frequent cause of death and may occur even if the electrocardiogram seems to be similar to that of a healthy individual. A method which not only identifies the risk but also provides an estimate of the time of an impending cardiac arrest is proposed. Analyzing 159 electrocardiograms in natural time, the authors find that the key quantity is the entropy change under time reversal. After it becomes maximum at the scale of 13 heartbeats, ventricular fibrillation starts within ∼3h in 16 out of 18 SCDs. The method also distinguishes congestive heart failure patients from SCD.
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Varotsos et al. (2007) conducted an observational in Sudden cardiac death (n=159). Natural time analysis of electrocardiograms was evaluated on Onset of ventricular fibrillation. Natural time analysis of electrocardiograms predicted that ventricular fibrillation starts within ~3 hours in 16 out of 18 sudden cardiac deaths after entropy change under time reversal maximizes.
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