Prevalence and prognostic significance of exercise-induced nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in asymptomatic volunteers: BLSA (Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging).

Objectives This study sought to determine the clinical predictors and prognostic significance of exercise-induced nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) in a large population of asymptomatic volunteers. Background Prior studies have reported variable risk associated with exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmia. Methods Subjects in the BLSA (Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging) free of known cardiovascular disease who completed at least 1 symptom-limited exercise treadmill test between 1977 and 2001 were included. NSVT episodes were characterized by QRS morphology, duration, and rate. Subjects underwent follow-up clinical evaluation every 2 years. Results The 2,099 subjects (mean age: 52 years; 52.2% male) underwent a mean of 2.7 exercise tests, in which 79 (3.7%) developed NSVT with exercise on at least 1 test. The median duration of NSVT was 3 beats (≤5 beats in 84%), and the median rate was 175 beats/min. Subjects with (vs. without) NSVT were older (67 ± 12 years vs. 51 ± 17 years, p  Conclusions Exercise-induced NSVT occurred in nearly 4% of this asymptomatic adult cohort. This finding increased with age and was more common in men. After adjustment for clinical variables, exercise-induced NSVT did not independently increase the risk of total mortality.