BACKGROUND Bile acids can induce arrhythmia by altering cardiomyocyte contractility or electrical conduction. The aim of this study was to investigate, by means of QT dispersion parameter detected by simple standard electrocardiogram (ECG), ventricular repolarization changes in pregnant women with and without intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). METHODS In this case-control study incl...

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether QT dispersion is a reliable index of the severity of aortic stenosis and left ventricular hypertrophy in the setting of aortic stenosis. DESIGN A retrospective analysis of the results of echocardiography and electrocardiography before and after aortic valve replacement. SETTING Tertiary centre. PATIENTS 36 men (30 white and six black) with symptomatic aort...

We read the article entitled ‘‘The effect of esmolol on corrected-QT interval, corrected-QT interval dispersion changes seen during anesthesia induction in hypertensive patients taking an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor’’ by Ceker et al. with interest.1 The authors investigated the effects of esmolol on the hemodynamic, correctedQT (QTc) interval and corrected-QT interval dispersion (QT...

INTRODUCTION The electrocardiography (ECG) markers of corrected QT interval (QTc) and QTc dispersion are prolonged in patients on hemodialysis. This study was carried out to investigate if changes in these markers will reverse by successful kidney transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-six kidney allograft recipients with functioning grafts, 26 patients on maintenance hemodialysis, and...

BACKGROUND Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a chronic, recurrent auto-inflammatory disease characterised by self-terminating attacks of fever and sterile polyserositis. The main cause of death in auto-inflammatory diseases is cardiovascular events. Additionally, auto-inflammatory diseases have potential effects on the myocardial repolarisation parameters, including the T-wave peak-to-end (...

Background and Objectives: The QT interval (QTi) and QT dispersion (QTd), which represent the myocardial electrical heterogeneity of repolarization, were studied to recognize the differences between normal controls (n=32) and stable angina patients (n=78). Subjects and Methods: During the treadmill exercise test, standard 12 lead Electrocardiogram (ECG) was obtained at every stage, with the QTi...

Increased QT dispersion seems to be related to an increased risk of arrhythmia and sudden death, a common cause of mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Increase in sympathetic tone has been documented in HD patients. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of changes in the autonomic tone on QT dispersion (QTd) in HD patients. Twenty HD patients (M/F 13/7; age, mean ±SD, 28 ± 10 y...

BACKGROUND Altered cardiac repolarization and increased dispersion of repolarization have been identified as risk factors for sudden cardiac death (SCD). The prevalence of and the mechanisms contributing to altered cardiac repolarization are currently unknown in COPD. METHODS In 91 COPD patients, 32 controls matched for age, cardiovascular risk and medication, and 41 healthy subjects, measure...

This study prospectively investigated 3,118 standard 12-lead ECGs recorded in 1,804 patients, who participated in the Losartan Heart Failure Survival Study--ELITE II clinical trial. After exclusion of patients with rhythms other than sinus, or atrioventricular block, or poor quality ECGs, 986 (703 men, mean age 71 +/- 7 years) with baseline ECGs were retained, of whom 615 patients had follow-up...

BACKGROUND Diabetes mellitus is a chronic and very common condition, and there has been lately a considerable increase in its prevalence and incidence. Diabetic patients have increased cardiovascular mortality, in which malignant ventricular arrhythmias seem to be implicated. OBJECTIVE To study the effects of diabetes on ventricular repolarization parameters responsible for an increased susce...