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Published on: January 16, 2019
QT interval prolongation as a biomarker for torsades de pointes and sudden death in drug development
1Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Research Laboratories, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, IN 46077, USA. gsides@lilly.com
Abstract:
Prolongation of the QT interval on the surface 12-lead electrocardiogram is widely accepted as a biomarker for the potential of a drug to produce torsades de pointes and/or sudden death. Detection of drug-induced prolongation of the QT interval in animals and man is frequently confounded by extrinsic and intrinsic factors that limit the ability to detect a true drug effect. In particular drugs that increase heart rate show an apparent increase in QT interval that confounds assessment of a true drug effect on cardiac ventricular repolarization. The basis for the use of the QT interval as a biomarker will be examined.
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