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Advances in Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology

How to Perform and Interpret Provocative Testing for the


Diagnosis of Brugada Syndrome, Long-QT Syndrome, and
Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia
Manoj N. Obeyesekere, MBBS; George J. Klein, MD; Simon Modi, MBBS; Peter Leong-Sit, MD;
Lorne J. Gula, MD, MSc; Raymond Yee, MD; Allan C. Skanes, MD; Andrew D. Krahn, MD

S udden cardiac death (SCD) is predominantly related to


coronary artery disease and its sequelae, cardiomyopathy,
and congenital or valvular heart disease. No structural abnor-
Continuous monitoring of the ECG should be undertaken,
and 12-lead ECGs should be recorded at 1- to 10-minute
intervals, depending on the rate and nature of the drug
malities are detectable in 5– 8% of SCDs.1 Identified ion infused. Frequent blood pressure monitoring should be per-
channelopathies such as Brugada syndrome, long-QT syn- formed. After drug administration, the ECG should be mon-
drome (LQTS), and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventric- itored for another 30 minutes or until it normalizes. Physi-
ular tachycardia (CPVT) contribute to this incidence. The cians and staff should be familiar and knowledgeable
diagnosis requires a high level of suspicion because of a regarding the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of
resting ECG that is often borderline, intermittently normal, or the agents used (Tables 1 and 2).
frankly normal. Genetic testing does not provide a simple Provocative testing may not always produce the classic
solution to this issue, as it is often neither sensitive nor ECG response, given the varied test accuracies. Therefore,
specific even when the phenotype points to a specific entity the absence of a classic response or the presence of borderline
and may yield results that are difficult to interpret (ie, variants changes should not supplant clinical evidence (that includes
of unknown significance). Pharmacological and/or exercise genetic testing). Even a clearly normal or abnormal provoc-
testing by manipulation/stressing the cardiac action potential ative test result must be carefully reviewed within the clinical
can accentuate the desired abnormality or provoke a charac- context. Therefore, provocative testing should be viewed as
teristic arrhythmia response. A systematic approach to clini- another part of the diagnostic workup and in the context of the
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cal testing that includes drug provocation results in unmask- pretest probability, not as a binary positive or negative test.
ing of the cause of apparently unexplained aborted SCD in When provocative testing yields borderline changes or the
⬎50% of patients and is very helpful in directing genetic absence of a classic response despite high clinical suspicion
testing of the index case and family to diagnose genetically (high pretest probability), an alternative provocative test may
mediated arrhythmia syndromes.2 This review will seek to be useful (eg, exercise stress testing plus catecholamine
highlight the clinical utility of provocative testing and de- infusion for LQTS/CPVT, an alternative sodium channel
scribe how to perform and interpret provocative testing for blocker used to test for Brugada syndrome).
the diagnosis of Brugada syndrome, LQTS, and CPVT.
Long-QT Syndrome
Performing Provocative Testing Up to 50% of patients with LQTS display a nondiagnostic
Pharmacological challenge should be performed in an area resting QTc (⬍460 ms),3 and overlap of the resting QTc
that has comprehensive monitoring and resuscitation equip- intervals between healthy persons and patients with LQTS
ment (including an external cardioverter-defibrillator). Test- makes the diagnosis challenging. Genetic testing may be defin-
ing should be performed with continuous monitoring of the itive but can often show a variant of unknown significance and
patient by adequately trained/experienced personnel in an only detects a mutation in approximately 75% of patients with
area equipped with advance resuscitation equipment (includ- LQTS. Clinical criteria such as the Schwartz criteria4 identified
ing external defibrillator) and personnel trained in advance a high probability of LQTS (score ⬎4) with a sensitivity of only
resuscitation and an expert physician promptly available. 19% and specificity of 99%. The Keating criteria5 had 36%
Given the potential risk for hemodynamically compromising sensitivity and 99% specificity. This highlights the need for
ventricular arrhythmias during exercise stress testing (partic- provocative testing to enhance diagnostic accuracy.
ularly when exercise stress testing for CPVT), we advise the The QT interval is defined as the interval from the beginning
presence of physically capable personnel to prevent the of the QRS complex to the end of the T wave. The authors favor
patient from falling, should hemodynamic collapse occur. the maximum slope technique wherein the end of the T wave is

Received July 6, 2011; accepted October 17, 2011.


From the University of Western Ontario, Division of Cardiology, London, Ontario, Canada.
Correspondence to Andrew D. Krahn, MD, 339 Windermere Rd, C6-110, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5A5. E-mail akrahn@uwo.ca
(Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2011;4:958-964.)
© 2011 American Heart Association, Inc.
Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol is available at http://circep.ahajournals.org DOI: 10.1161/CIRCEP.111.965947

958
Obeyesekere et al Provocative Testing for Channelopathies 959

Table 1. Drug Infusion Doses for Provocation


Channelopathy Drug Infusion
Brugada syndrome Flecainide 2 mg/kg (maximum, 150 mg) over
10 min
Brugada syndrome Ajmaline 1 mg/kg over 10 min
Brugada syndrome Procainamide 10 mg/kg over 20–30 min
Brugada syndrome Pilsicainide 1 mg/kg over 10 min
LQTS and CPVT Epinephrine Infusion started at 0.05 ␮g/kg per min
and increased every 5 min to 0.1 and
0.2 ␮g /kg per min for 5 min at
each dose
LQTS Adenosine Rapid bolus adenosine injected at 6 mg
incremental doses (maximum single dose
of 24 mg) until atrioventricular block or
sinus pauses lasting 3 s occurs
LQTS indicates long-QT syndrome; CPVT, catecholaminergic polymorphic
ventricular tachycardia.

marked by the intersection point of the tangent line representing


the maximal downward or upward slope of a positive or negative
T wave, respectively, and the isoelectric baseline (Figure 1).
Despite its imperfections, the Bazett formula (QT divided by the
square root of the R-R interval) remains widely used to correct
for heart rate. QT and QTc measurement during atrial fibrillation
should be averaged over 10 consecutive beats. Significant sinus
arrhythmia may also complicate assessment of QTc intervals
because of relatively larger changes in the R-R intervals com-
pared with lesser corresponding changes in the QT interval. QT
and QTc intervals may be averaged over 10 consecutive beats in
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an attempt to correct for this. The longest QT intervals are Figure 1. Examples of positive provocative tests. LQTS indi-
generally measured in the precordial leads. The standard leads to cates long-QT syndrome; CPVT, catecholaminergic polymorphic
ventricular tachycardia.
measure the QT are V5 and lead II. U waves should not be
included in the measurement.
a loss of function mutation in the slowly (IKs) and rapidly (IKr)
Mechanism of LQTS activating delayed rectifier potassium channel leads to LQT1
Eighty-five percent to 95% of all LQTS are due to LQT1, LQT2, and LQT2, respectively. This leads to failure of adrenergic
and LQT3. A decreased outward potassium current mediated by stimulation to shorten the action potential duration and hence the
QT interval. The IKr channels represent a smaller fraction of
Table 2. Procainamide and Epinephrine Infusion Protocols potassium channels responsible for repolarization compared
Progress Test Instructions with IKs channels. Furthermore, IKr is activated rapidly in low
Procainamide adrenergic circumstances and IKs gradually at higher adrenergic
Baseline ECG*/Vitals Start procainamide 1 g over 30 min
states. Because of the intact IKs channels in LQT3 (INa defect),
no QT lengthening is characteristically observed with adrenergic
10 min ECG/Vitals
stimulation (Figure 2B).
20 min ECG/Vitals
30 min ECG*/Vitals Stop procainamide
Provocative Testing in LQTS
40 min ECG/Vitals Evaluation of the QT response to the brisk tachycardia induced
60 min ECG/Vitals by standing provides important information that aids in the
90 min ECG/Vitals diagnosis of LQTS.6 Despite similar heart rate acceleration in
Epinephrine response to brisk standing in patients (n⫽68) and control
Baseline ECG/Vitals Start epinephrine 0.05 ␮g/kg per min subjects (n⫽82), on average, the QT interval of control subjects
0:05 min ECG/Vitals Increase to 0.10 ␮g/kg per min shortened by 21⫾19 ms, whereas the QT interval of LQTS
patients increased by 4⫾34 ms (P⬍0.001). Additionally, the QTc
0:10 min ECG/Vitals Increase to 0.20 ␮g/kg per min
interval increased by 50⫾30 ms in the control group and by 89⫾47
0:15 min ECG/Vitals Stop epinephrine
ms in the LQTS group (P⬍0.001). Receiver-operating characteris-
0:25 min ECG/Vitals 10 min after epinephrine
tic curves showed that the test added diagnostic value and the
0:35 min ECG/Vitals 20 min after epinephrine response was particularly impaired in patients with LQT2.
0:45 min ECG/Vitals 30 min after epinephrine Exercise stress testing has also been used for differentiating
*ECG should include high precordial leads. LQT1, LQT2, and unaffected individuals. End-of-recovery QTc
960 Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol December 2011

Figure 2. Proposed algorithmic approach


to investigating for long-QT syndrome
(LQTS; A) and schematic depiction of heart
rate zones (B) when abnormal QTc intervals
are most likely observed during provocative
testing for LQTS. LQT1 indicates late exer-
cise and recovery; LQT2, early exercise and
recovery; and LQT3, rest.
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may have clinical use in distinguishing patients with LQTS from increasing doses of epinephrine (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 ␮g/kg per
healthy individuals—a QTc ⬎445 ms at the end of recovery (4 minute) can distinguish healthy control subjects from patients
minutes after cessation of exercise) had a sensitivity of 92% and with concealed LQT1. In one study of 147 genotyped patients,3
specificity of 88% at identifying LQT1 and LQT2 individuals.7 the median change in QT interval during low-dose epinephrine
Furthermore, early-recovery QTc may be used to distinguish infusion was ⫺23 ms in the gene negative group, ⫹78 ms in
LQT1 from LQT2 patients: early recovery QTc ⬍460 ms had a LQT1, ⫺4 ms in LQT2, and ⫺58 ms in LQT3. The paradoxical
sensitivity of 79% and specificity of 92% at identifying LQT2 QT response was observed in 92% of patients with LQT1
patients (from LQT1).7,8 Increased QT hysteresis may be a compared with 18% of gene-negative, 13% LQT2, and 0%
unique feature of LQT2 syndrome. QT hysteresis is calculated as LQT3 patients. Overall, the paradoxical QT response had a
the QT interval difference between exercise and 1 to 2 minutes sensitivity of 92.5%, specificity of 86%, positive predictive
into recovery at similar heart rates (within 10 bpm) at heart rates value of 76%, and negative predictive value of 96% for LQT1
of approximately 100 bpm.9 In LQT2 patients, the QT fails to status. Patients receiving ␤-blocker therapy at the time of testing
shorten at intermediate heart rates in early exercise. However, are likely to have lower diagnostic accuracy.
recruitment of IKs at higher heart rates is associated with Graded infusions of epinephrine in normal subjects can be
appropriate QT shortening, which persists into the recovery associated with QTc prolongation. Up to 79% of normal
phase. This consequently leads to an exaggerated QT difference subjects may show an abnormally prolonged QTc interval at
between exercise and recovery, which manifests as increased QT 1 or more infusion levels of epinephrine.12,13 This may lead to
hysteresis. QT hysteresis of ⬎25 ms has a sensitivity and an inappropriate diagnosis of LQTS. However, an absolute
specificity of 73% and 68%, respectively, at identifying patients QT prolongation by more than 20 –30 ms is not typically seen
with LQT2 over LQT1.10 at any dose level of epinephrine.
Two major protocols have evolved for epinephrine infusion: A positive test is defined if a paradoxical QT/QTc response is
the bolus and brief infusion (Shimizu protocol)11 and the identified (Figure 1). Studies have proposed an increase in the
gradually escalating dose protocol (Mayo protocol).12 Both are absolute QT by 30 ms (at 0.05 ␮g/kg per minute epinephrine),12
well tolerated, with a low incidence of adverse events. Gradually an increase in absolute QT by 35 ms11 or QTc prolongation by
Obeyesekere et al Provocative Testing for Channelopathies 961

30 ms14 (at 0.10 ␮g/kg per minute epinephrine), or an increase ECG is usually normal, and the QT interval is usually normal
in QTc by 65 ms15 or to a value above 600 ms13 during or borderline, making diagnosis difficult. The diagnosis is
epinephrine infusion (up to 0.4 ␮g/kg per minute) as useful based on exercise/catecholamine-induced polymorphic or
criteria for diagnosing LQTS (Figure 2). The authors favor the bidirectional VT in the absence of structural heart disease or
Mayo definition of an absolute QT prolongation of ⱖ30 ms at a prolonged QT interval.21
0.10 ␮g/kg per minute epinephrine but take into account the
other parameters, particularly if there is a dramatic change at Mechanism of CPVT
0.20 ␮g/kg per minute epinephrine or a strong clinical suspicion In CPVT, a gain-of-function mutation of the ryanodine
of LQTS. QT measurement during adrenaline infusion can be receptor leads to a premature release of calcium from the
challenging to interpret in the context of dynamic T-wave sarcoplasmic reticuluum.22 Cardiac calsequestrin mutations
morphology changes, particularly when prominent U waves are can also contribute to abnormal regulation of cellular cal-
present, the T wave is flattened or when notching of the T wave cium.23 Abnormal calcium handling can lead to arrhythmias
occurs. Assessing the ECG in all 12 leads may assist in defining mediated by delayed afterdepolarizations.24
the QT interval. Arrhythmia is induced by sympathetic stimulation by
Adenosine-induced, sudden bradycardia and subsequent exercise or by epinephrine infusion. Ventricular ectopy,
tachycardia have also been investigated to identify QT changes bidirectional VT, and polymorphic VT may occur in a
of diagnostic value in patients with LQTS. Adenosine challenge progressively predictable order with increasing heart rate.
resulted in dissimilar response in LQT patients (n⫽18) and Continuation of provocative testing may lead to syncope. The
control subjects (n⫽20) in one study.16 A QT of ⬎410 ms at tachyarrhythmias disappear with discontinuation of testing.
maximal bradycardia had a sensitivity of 0.94 and a specificity Intravenous ␤-blocker therapy can be used to suppress
of 0.9 to detect LQTS. A QTc of ⬎490 ms at maximal ventricular arrhythmias in CPVT after provocative testing.
bradycardia had a sensitivity of 0.94 and a specificity of 0.85 to
detect LQTS. The small number of genotyped patients in this Provocative Testing in CPVT
study series precludes reaching reliable conclusions regarding A positive test is defined when complex ventricular ectopy,
the utility of adenosine testing, but it is promising. bidirectional VT, and/or polymorphic VT occurs (Figure 1).
Data on the utility of Holter monitoring for the diagnosis CPVT should not be diagnosed if simple isolated monomorphic
and prognosis of LQTS are unclear. Some studies have ectopy is induced. However, CPVT patients often have outflow
reported the minimal diagnostic and prognostic utility of tract ectopy at the onset of induced arrhythmia at a relatively
Holter monitoring in evaluating LQTS.17,18 However, studies predictable heart rate threshold.25 Polymorphic or bidirectional
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have also reported the value of Holter monitoring in diagnos- VT is provoked with exercise in 63% and epinephrine in 82% of
ing LQTS, and in particular the utility of diurnal repolariza- patients with CPVT.25 Therefore, a normal provocative test does
tion dynamics.19 Holter monitoring may be more useful in not exclude the diagnosis. In a large series of CPVT patients
LQTS2 and LQTS3 due to the more pronounced QT prolon- (n⫽101), exercise testing was negative in 12 (of 17) asymptom-
gation observed compared with LQTS1 at slow heart rates in atic family members with a positive CPVT genotype.26 In
these patients (particularly at night).20 another study involving 30 mutation carriers, exercise stress
Provocative testing can be useful in patients with a suspected testing induced ventricular arrhythmias in only 23.27 Holter
diagnosis of LQT1/LQT2 who have not been genotyped, in monitoring may also be useful in active patients for the evalu-
patients who have been genotyped with a diagnosis of LQT1/ ation of CPVT by bringing out the progressive arrhythmia with
LQT2—if the patient’s resting ECG is unremarkable— or if the exercise.21 However, compared with noninvasive monitoring
LQT1/LQT2-associated mutation is novel. The test is not rec- alone, provocation testing significantly improves the diagnostic
ommended for patients with type 3 LQTS (Figure 2). The test yield (by approximately 4-fold).25
can also be of diagnostic value in other LQTS that involve the Suppression of exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmias with
IKs and IKr channels and other channels that are sensitive to ␤-blocker therapy does not necessarily translate into long-term
sympathetic stimulation (eg, IK1 channel in LQT7), although the effectiveness of therapy.27 Furthermore, the absence of effort-
rarity of these mutations make systematic study challenging. induced symptoms and/or ventricular arrhythmia on stress test-
During provocation, epinephrine infusion should be ing may be observed in more than one-third of pathogenic RyR2
stopped if systolic blood pressure rises above 200 mm Hg, mutation carriers who still remain at future risk for SCD.26,28
there is an increase in premature ventricular contractions or However, repeated exercise tests on therapy have been used to
nonsustained ventricular tachycardia or polymorphic VT titrate ␤-blocker, verapamil, and flecainide dosage.29,30
occurs, T-wave alternans develops, or the patient becomes
intolerant to the test. Intravenous ␤-blocker therapy can be Brugada Syndrome
used to suppress ventricular arrhythmia and should be avail- The prevalence of fluctuations between diagnostic and nondiag-
able for resuscitative efforts in the event of sustained ventric- nostic ECGs in patients with Brugada syndrome is high.31 In a
ular arrhythmias. study of 176 Brugada syndrome patients in whom repetitive
baseline ECGs were recorded, only 90 patients had at least 1
Catecholaminergic Polymorphic positive baseline ECG for a type 1 pattern.32 The typical ECG
Ventricular Tachycardia features can be unmasked with sodium channel blockers. Auto-
CPVT is characterized by adrenergically induced ventricular nomic tone can also modulate the ECG phenotype: isoproterenol
arrhythmias associated with syncope and SCD. The resting attenuates and acetylcholine accentuates the ECG changes in
962 Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol December 2011
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Figure 3. Proposed algorithmic approach to investigating for Brugada syndrome (A) and high precordial lead placement (B).

affected patients.33 In a series of 334 patients, 30% could only be biphasic T. Type 3 has an ST-segment morphology that is either
diagnosed with pharmacological challenge.34 The sensitivity of saddleback or coved with an ST-segment elevation of ⬍1 mm.
provocative pharmacological testing may vary, depending on the Type 2 and type 3 ECGs are not diagnostic of the Brugada
sodium channel blocker used, ECG lead position, the type and syndrome. Patients with a Brugada type 1 pattern on ECG
severity of the mutation, baseline autonomic tone, and genetic diagnosed with leads placed 2 intercostal spaces above the
polymorphisms.35 Standard genetic testing is not universally standard position may have a similar prognosis to that of
feasible and has a low sensitivity (Table 1). individuals with a type 1 ECG recorded from the standard
It is important to distinguish patients who are asymptom- position37 (Figures 1 and 3). When undertaking provocative
atic with a Brugada pattern ECG from Brugada syndrome, in testing with a sodium channel blocker, the infusion should be
which a type 1 ECG pattern is associated with symptoms. In terminated when a type- 1 ECG develops, premature ventricular
one study, the cardiac event rate per year was 7.7% in patients beats or other arrhythmias develop, or the QRS widens to
with aborted SCD, 1.9% in patients with syncope, and 0.5% ⬎130% of baseline. QRS prolongation ⱖ130% occurs in ⬎50%
in asymptomatic patients.36 of all tests. In 40% of positive tests, it occurs before diagnostic
The type 1 Brugada ECG pattern is characterized by a ECG changes. Always terminating the test when QRS prolongs
complete or incomplete right bundle-branch block pattern with a ⱖ130% could possibly result in loss of important diagnostic
coved morphology ST-segment elevation of at least 2 mm in the information.38 Isoproterenol (by inhibiting Ito) can be effective in
right precordial leads (V1–V3) followed by a negative T wave. normalizing the ECG changes and to treat ventricular
The type 2 ST-segment elevation has a saddleback appearance tachyarrhythmia.33
with a high takeoff ST-segment elevation of ⬎2 mm, a trough Large cohort studies indicate the low incidence of arrhythmic
displaying ⬎1-mm ST-elevation followed by a positive or events in asymptomatic patients with either the spontaneous or
Obeyesekere et al Provocative Testing for Channelopathies 963

drug-induced type 1 ECG compared with symptomatic sub- Overall, the sensitivity of provocative tests in patients with
jects.39 Therefore, drug testing to unmask the type 1 ECG in an SCN5A mutation (which represents only 20% of all
asymptomatic patients with a non–type 1 ECG does not appear Brugada syndrome patients42,43) is estimated to be 71– 80%.
to have additional value for risk stratification. However, the The available study by Brugada et al on the sensitivity in
authors favor considering this to provide practical lifestyle non-SCN5A Brugada syndrome patients applies to patients
advice to patients with respect to treatment of fever, avoidance with documented but transitory type 1 ECGs resuscitated
of provocative drugs (www.brugadadrugs.org), and reporting of from SCD; in this study, the sodium channel blocker test was
syncope and seizures. found to be 100% sensitive.44
However, a drug-induced type 1 ECG is useful in symptom-
atic patients showing only the non–type 1 ECG for diagnosis, Conclusions
prognosis, screening, and therapy. Additionally, screening of Provocative drug and/or stress testing can unmask the diag-
asymptomatic family members can be undertaken with drug nosis of Brugada syndrome, LQTS, and CPVT when the ECG
testing for diagnosis and counseling. Drug challenge generally is is not diagnostic. It is particularly useful when an inherited
not performed in asymptomatic patients displaying the type 1 arrhythmia is suspected in the context of syncope or cardiac
ECG at baseline because the additional diagnostic value is arrest, or in family screening, assisting in arriving at an
considered to be limited, the added prognostic value is not clear, elusive diagnosis and in directing genetic testing of the index
and the test has a very small risk of provoking arrhythmic events. case and family.

Mechanism of Brugada Syndrome Disclosures


The arrhythmogenic substrate in Brugada syndrome is believed None.
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