Cardiol Res

Cardiology Research, ISSN 1923-2829 print, 1923-2837 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, Cardiol Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website https://cr.elmerpub.com

Original Article

Volume 17, Number 5, October 2026, pages 519-525

Fragmented QRS on Baseline Electrocardiography Predicts Anatomically Significant Stenosis in Patients With Intermediate Coronary Lesions on Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography

↓ Figure 1. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of fragmented QRS (fQRS) for predicting anatomically significant coronary stenosis (≥ 70%) on invasive coronary angiography.

↓ **Table 1.** Baseline Demographic, Clinical, and Laboratory Characteristics of the Study Population
Variables	Group 2 (< 70% stenosis, n = 111)	Group 1 (≥ 70% stenosis, n = 89)	P
Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation or n (%). *P-values indicate statistical significance (P < 0.05). BMI: body mass index; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CT: computed tomography; HbA1c: glycated hemoglobin; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; T4: thyroxine; TSH: thyroid-stimulating hormone.
Age (years)	58.6 ± 7.9	56.8 ± 11.3	0.392
Gender, male (n, %)	41 (36.9)	60 (67.4)	< 0.001*
Weight (kg)	80.1 ± 6.9	86.5 ± 6.2	< 0.001*
Height (cm)	167.5 ± 6.5	170.2 ± 5.9	0.006*
BMI (kg/m²)	28.7 ± 3.2	29.9 ± 2.4	0.002*
Fragmented QRS presence (n, %)	18 (16.2)	58 (65.2)	< 0.001*
Hypertension (n, %)	67 (60.4)	56 (62.9)	0.711
Diabetes mellitus (n, %)	25 (22.5)	32 (36.0)	0.036*
COPD (n, %)	18 (16.2)	13 (14.6)	0.755
Family history (n, %)	56 (50.5)	43 (48.3)	0.764
Coronary CT bridge presence (n, %)	22 (19.8)	14 (15.7)	0.454
Hyperlipidemia (n, %)	38 (34.2)	48 (53.9)	0.005*
Smoking (n, %)	36 (32.4)	54 (60.7)	< 0.001*
Glucose (mg/dL)	130.5 ± 57.7	139.3 ± 63.4	0.111
Urea (mg/dL)	28.1 ± 11.2	27.3 ± 11.0	0.978
Creatinine (mg/dL)	0.82 ± 0.19	0.82 ± 0.19	0.840
HbA1c (%)	6.62 ± 1.48	6.69 ± 1.58	0.861
TSH (mIU/L)	2.54 ± 1.47	2.55 ± 1.52	0.879
T4 (ng/dL)	14.4 ± 2.3	14.6 ± 2.5	0.436
Triglyceride (mg/dL)	187.4 ± 122.0	153.8 ± 67.0	0.088
LDL (mg/dL)	112.6 ± 27.4	110.0 ± 22.3	0.700
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	15.5 ± 2.2	15.1 ± 2.1	0.504
Platelet (× 10³/µL)	287.4 ± 73.7	266.1 ± 72.5	0.043*
Acetylsalicylic acid (n, %)	32 (29)	25 (28)	0.206
Beta blocker (n, %)	24 (22)	23 (25)	0.394
Statins (n, %)	29 (26)	24 (27)	0.276

↓ Table 1. Baseline Demographic, Clinical, and Laboratory Characteristics of the Study Population

Variables

Group 2 (< 70% stenosis, n = 111)

Group 1 (≥ 70% stenosis, n = 89)

Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation or n (%). *P-values indicate statistical significance (P < 0.05). BMI: body mass index; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CT: computed tomography; HbA1c: glycated hemoglobin; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; T4: thyroxine; TSH: thyroid-stimulating hormone.

Age (years)

58.6 ± 7.9

56.8 ± 11.3

0.392

Gender, male (n, %)

41 (36.9)

60 (67.4)

< 0.001*

Weight (kg)

80.1 ± 6.9

86.5 ± 6.2

< 0.001*

Height (cm)

167.5 ± 6.5

170.2 ± 5.9

0.006*

BMI (kg/m²)

28.7 ± 3.2

29.9 ± 2.4

0.002*

Fragmented QRS presence (n, %)

18 (16.2)

58 (65.2)

< 0.001*

Hypertension (n, %)

67 (60.4)

56 (62.9)

0.711

Diabetes mellitus (n, %)

25 (22.5)

32 (36.0)

0.036*

COPD (n, %)

18 (16.2)

13 (14.6)

0.755

Family history (n, %)

56 (50.5)

43 (48.3)

0.764

Coronary CT bridge presence (n, %)

22 (19.8)

14 (15.7)

0.454

Hyperlipidemia (n, %)

38 (34.2)

48 (53.9)

0.005*

Smoking (n, %)

36 (32.4)

54 (60.7)

< 0.001*

Glucose (mg/dL)

130.5 ± 57.7

139.3 ± 63.4

0.111

Urea (mg/dL)

28.1 ± 11.2

27.3 ± 11.0

0.978

Creatinine (mg/dL)

0.82 ± 0.19

0.840

HbA1c (%)

6.62 ± 1.48

6.69 ± 1.58

0.861

TSH (mIU/L)

2.54 ± 1.47

2.55 ± 1.52

0.879

T4 (ng/dL)

14.4 ± 2.3

14.6 ± 2.5

0.436

Triglyceride (mg/dL)

187.4 ± 122.0

153.8 ± 67.0

0.088

LDL (mg/dL)

112.6 ± 27.4

110.0 ± 22.3

0.700

Hemoglobin (g/dL)

15.5 ± 2.2

15.1 ± 2.1

0.504

Platelet (× 10³/µL)

287.4 ± 73.7

266.1 ± 72.5

0.043*

Acetylsalicylic acid (n, %)

32 (29)

25 (28)

0.206

Beta blocker (n, %)

24 (22)

23 (25)

0.394

Statins (n, %)

29 (26)

24 (27)

0.276

↓ **Table 2.** Univariate and Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis for Predictors of Severe Stenosis (≥ 70%)
Variable	Univariate model	Multivariate model
*P-values indicate statistical significance (P < 0.05). BMI: body mass index; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; OR: odds ratio; 95% CI: confidence interval.
Male gender	3.512	1.980–6.230	< 0.001*	4.167	1.798–9.655	0.001*
BMI (kg/m²)	1.071	0.977–1.175	0.147	0.918	0.811–1.039	0.177
Hypertension	1.304	0.773–2.199	0.320	1.151	0.586–2.258	0.684
Diabetes mellitus	1.928	1.041–3.570	0.036	1.087	0.471–2.506	0.846
Smoking	3.047	1.789–5.191	< 0.001*	1.429	0.614–3.323	0.408
Hyperlipidemia	2.539	1.481–4.352	0.001*	2.342	1.106–4.959	0.026*
Family history	1.296	0.776–2.165	0.321	0.672	0.360–1.256	0.214
Fragmented QRS presence	4.998	2.677–9.331	< 0.001*	5.814	2.478–13.645	< 0.001*
Triglyceride	0.997	0.994–1.001	0.305	0.998	0.995–1.001	0.221
LDL	1.006	0.996–1.016	0.267	0.990	0.977–1.003	0.149

↓ Table 2. Univariate and Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis for Predictors of Severe Stenosis (≥ 70%)

Variable

Univariate model

Multivariate model

95% CI

*P-values indicate statistical significance (P < 0.05). BMI: body mass index; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; OR: odds ratio; 95% CI: confidence interval.

Male gender

3.512

1.980–6.230

< 0.001*

4.167

1.798–9.655

0.001*

BMI (kg/m²)

1.071

0.977–1.175

0.147

0.918

0.811–1.039

0.177

Hypertension

1.304

0.773–2.199

0.320

1.151

0.586–2.258

0.684

Diabetes mellitus

1.928

1.041–3.570

0.036

1.087

0.471–2.506

0.846

Smoking

3.047

1.789–5.191

< 0.001*

1.429

0.614–3.323

0.408

Hyperlipidemia

2.539

1.481–4.352

0.001*

2.342

1.106–4.959

0.026*

Family history

1.296

0.776–2.165

0.321

0.672

0.360–1.256

0.214

Fragmented QRS presence

4.998

2.677–9.331

< 0.001*

5.814

2.478–13.645

< 0.001*

Triglyceride

0.997

0.994–1.001

0.305

0.998

0.995–1.001

0.221

LDL

1.006

0.996–1.016

0.267

0.990

0.977–1.003

0.149

↓ **Table 3.** Diagnostic Performance of fQRS for Predicting Severe Stenosis (≥ 70%) in ROC Curve Analysis
	< 70% Stenosis (n = 111)	≥ 70% Stenosis (n = 89)	Total
fQRS (−)	93	31	124
fQRS (+)	18	58	76
Total	111	89	200
AUC (95% CI)	0.745 (0.673–0.816)
P-value	< 0.001
Sensitivity	65.2%
Specificity	83.8%
Positive predictive value	76.3%
Negative predictive value	75.0%

↓ Table 3. Diagnostic Performance of fQRS for Predicting Severe Stenosis (≥ 70%) in ROC Curve Analysis

< 70% Stenosis (n = 111)

≥ 70% Stenosis (n = 89)

Total

fQRS (−)

124

fQRS (+)

Total

111

200

Measure

Value

AUC (95% CI)

0.745 (0.673–0.816)

P-value

< 0.001

Sensitivity

65.2%

Specificity

83.8%

Positive predictive value

76.3%

Negative predictive value

75.0%