New approach to the estimation of the extent of myocardial fibrosis in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: Use of signal-averaged electrocardiography

Abstract To determine whether the extent of myocardial fibrosis in dilated cardiomyopathy could be estimated noninvasively, signal-averaged electrocardiograms were recorded in 32 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, followed by left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy. The root mean square voltage for the last 40 msec (V40), the duration of the filted QRS complex (fQRSd) and the duration of low amplitude signals r = 0.623, p r = 0.570, p r = −0.355, p r = 0.695, p r = 0.640, p r = −0.533, p