Geometric Subtypes of the Left Ventricle in Patients with Left Bundle Branch Block

Objective: To examine geometric subtypes of the left ventricle (Lv) in patients with a left bundle branch block (LBBB), with an echocardiographically proved left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and without a proved LVH. Methods and results: In 124 patients with LBBB the LV geometry was determined from the left ventricular mass (LvM) and the Lv relative wall thickness (RWT). Abnormal Lv geometry was found in 103 patients (83,07%). The most frequent subtype was an eccentric LvH (44,35%), followed by a concentric LvH (24,19%), and concentric remodelling (14,4%), while normal geom¬etry findings accounted for 16,93%. In the group of patients with LBBB even without an LvH finding, a changed Lv geometry was also observed, the most frequent findings being concentric remodelling (44,44%) and eccentric LvH (22,22%). Conclusions: In patients with LBBB the LvH finding is very frequent (85,48%). With the development of an LBBB the Lv geometry also changes, the most frequent finding being an eccentric LvH. patients with LBBB even without an LvH finding often have a changed Lv ge-ometry, which is crucial for their prognosis.