Related Experiment Videos
QT dispersion in sarcoidosis.
Huseyin Uyarel1, Nevzat Uslu, Ertan Okmen
1Department of Cardiology, Siyami Ersek Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Center, Istanbul, Turkey. uyarel@yahoo.com
Chest
|October 21, 2005
Summary
QT dispersion (QTd) is significantly increased in cardiac sarcoidosis patients, indicating heightened ventricular repolarization inhomogeneity. This finding suggests QTd may serve as a marker for cardiac involvement in sarcoidosis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- QT dispersion (QTd) reflects ventricular repolarization inhomogeneity.
- Sarcoidosis can cause ventricular repolarization abnormalities due to granuloma formation.
- Previous studies have not investigated QTd changes in sarcoidosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate QT dispersion in patients with systemic sarcoidosis.
- To compare QTd in cardiac sarcoidosis versus noncardiac sarcoidosis and healthy controls.
- To assess the correlation between QTd and arrhythmias in sarcoidosis.
Main Methods:
- Systemic sarcoidosis diagnosed via biopsy in 35 patients.
- Cardiac sarcoidosis identified using Thallium scintigraphy.
- QTd, corrected QTd (cQTd), QTmax, and cQTmax measured.
- Comparison with noncardiac sarcoidosis patients and 24 healthy controls.
Main Results:
- Significantly elevated QTd and cQTd in cardiac sarcoidosis compared to noncardiac sarcoidosis and controls (p < 0.001).
- Significantly higher QTmax and cQTmax in cardiac sarcoidosis patients (p < 0.001).
- Increased premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) in cardiac sarcoidosis (36%) versus noncardiac sarcoidosis (0%) (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- QTd, cQTd, QTmax, and cQTmax are prolonged in cardiac sarcoidosis.
- Elevated QTd suggests increased ventricular repolarization inhomogeneity in cardiac sarcoidosis.
- QTd may be a useful marker for cardiac involvement and arrhythmia risk in sarcoidosis.