Changes in T-peak-to-T-end Morphology Measured by Time-Warping Are Associated with Ischemia-Induced Ventricular Fibrillation in a Porcine Model

Neurys Gómez Fonseca1, Julia Ramírez2, Alba Martin3, Marina M. Demidova4, Pyotr Platonov5, Juan Pablo Martínez6, Pablo Laguna7
1Univesity of Zaragoza, 2University of Zaragoza, 3Biomedical Signal Interpretation and Computational Simulation Group (BSICoS), Universidad de Zaragoza, 4Lund University, Department of Cardiology, Clinical Sciences, 5Lund University, 6jpmart@unizar.es, 7Zaragoza University


Abstract

In this work, we use a time-warping-based morphology variation index, dw, computed between the peak and the end of the T-wave, and assess its association with the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation (VF) episodes in ischemic conditions. ECG recordings from 26 pigs undergoing a 40-minute coronary occlusion were analyzed. The dw series was obtained by quantifying the morphological differences between the final part of the T wave at different stages of the occlusion and a reference T wave in the control recording. During control recordings, dw remained stationary with a median value along each recording of 1.76 ms, IQR of 1.80, while during artery occlusion followed a well-marked gradual increasing trend as ischemia progressed, with median of 15.47 ms, IQR of 18.53. At the 20-to-25 min period from occlusion onset (and during 5 min prior to VF episode) dw averages in the VF group was significantly higher than in the non-VF group with median values of 40.0 (and 34.4) vs 7.8 (and 7.7) ms, with p-values of 0.002 (and 0.001), respectively. In conclusion, dynamic increases of the dw index during ischaemia progression in pigs are associated with VF occurrence.