Clinical value of regression of electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy after aortic valve replacement

Electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy (ECG-LVH) gradually regressed after aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Sokolow–Lyon voltage (SV₁ + RV_5/6) is possibly the most widely used criterion for ECG-LVH. The aim of this study was to determine whether decrease in Sokolow–Lyon voltage reflects left ventricular reverse remodeling detected by echocardiography after AVR. Of 129 consecutive patients who underwent AVR for severe aortic stenosis, 38 patients with preoperative ECG-LVH, defined by SV₁ + RV_5/6 of ≥3.5 mV, were enrolled in this study. Electrocardiography and echocardiography were performed preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively. The patients were divided into ECG-LVH regression group (n = 19) and non-regression group (n = 19) according to the median value of the absolute regression in SV₁ + RV_5/6. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess determinants of ECG-LVH regression among echocardiographic indices. ECG-LVH regression group showed significantly greater decrease in left ventricular mass index and left ventricular dimensions than Non-regression group. ECG-LVH regression was independently determined by decrease in the left ventricular mass index [odds ratio (OR) 1.28, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.03–1.69, p = 0.048], left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (OR 1.18, 95 % CI 1.03–1.41, p = 0.014), and left ventricular end-systolic dimension (OR 1.24, 95 % CI 1.06–1.52, p = 0.0047). ECG-LVH regression could be a marker of the effect of AVR on both reducing the left ventricular mass index and left ventricular dimensions. The effect of AVR on reverse remodeling can be estimated, at least in part, by regression of ECG-LVH.