BACKGROUND Increased spatial dispersion of restitution properties has been associated to arrhythmic risk. An ECG-based index quantifying restitution dispersion, DRest, is evaluated in patients who experienced Torsades de Pointes (TdP) under sotalol challenge and compared with the response in healthy subjects. METHODS AND RESULTS ECG recordings were analyzed for quantification of DRest and QTc...

INTRODUCTION AND AIM Sarcoidosis increases inhomogeneity in ventricular repolarization due to the presence of sarcoid granuloma, which significantly correlates with ventricular fibrillation. Various studies have suggested that the interval from the peak to the end of the electrocardiographic T wave (T-peak to T-end [Tpe] interval) may correspond to the transmural dispersion of repolarization an...

BACKGROUND Sevoflurane and droperidol prolong the QT interval, and advancing age is not only associated with a prolongation of the QT interval but is also a risk factor for drug-induced QT interval prolongation. In this study, we compared the effect of sevoflurane and droperidol on the corrected QT (QTc) interval and the dispersion of ventricular repolarization (time interval from the peak to t...

BACKGROUND Due to potential proarrhythmic side-effects levo-alpha-Acetylmethadol (LAAM) is currently not available in EU countries as maintenance drug in the treatment of opiate addiction. However, recent studies and meta-analyses underline the clinical advantages of LAAM with respect to the reduction of heroin use. Thus a reappraisal of LAAM has been demanded. The aim of the present study was ...

BACKGROUND Altered cardiac repolarization is a risk factor for sudden cardiac death and seems to be increased in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. OBJECTIVE Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) has been shown to improve breathing mechanics and lung function in patients with severe COPD and emphysema and possibly also improve altered cardiac repolarization. METHODS Thirt...

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular system abnormalities are common causes of morbidity and mortality in sickle cell anaemia. OBJECTIVES The study aims at determining the pattern of electrocardiographic changes in adult Nigerian sickle cell anaemia patients. METHODS A descriptive cross sectional study was done on sixty sickle cell anaemia patients seen at the adult sickle cell clinic of University of...

BACKGROUND This prospective study was performed to evaluate the prognostic prediction value of QT parameters and clinical characteristics exhibited by patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke at the time of presenting to the emergency department (ED). METHODS One hundred and sixty-six patients admitted to the ED of Taipei Veterans General Hospital from January 2006 to October 2006 because of ac...