Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesCohort study
Features of T wave inversion and diagnosis of cardiomyopathy: relevance for a cardiac screening programme in young individuals
- Retrospective cohort study
Authors' conclusion
T wave inversion is a relatively common ECG finding in young apparently healthy individuals. The distribution on multiple lead territories and deeper T waves are early indicators of an underlying cardiomyopathy.
Study context
- Population
- Individuals aged 14–35 years undergoing voluntary cardiac screening, 2008–2013, with TWI on ECGTWI in 120 (2%)
- Participants
- 5,360 individuals
- Exposure
- Cardiomyopathy vs no diagnosis among individuals with TWI
- Cardiomyopathyn = 16
- Outcome
- Clinical significance of T wave depth and T wave/QRS voltage ratio in TWI
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
T wave features and cardiomyopathy diagnosis
Deeper T waves with cardiomyopathy
p=0.03
Best TWI depth cut-off for cardiomyopathy
0.183 mV
AUC (ROC)
0.767
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Prevalence of TWI
- TWI
- 120 (2%)
- Cardiomyopathy diagnosed
- 16
Deaths and sudden cardiac arrest · mean follow-up 8.1±1.2 years
- Deaths
- 0
- Sudden cardiac arrest among cardiomyopathy (all arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy)
- 3 of the 16
Original publication
Features of T wave inversion and diagnosis of cardiomyopathy: relevance for a cardiac screening programme in young individuals. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 30 April 2025. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf275
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it