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QT dispersion increases with aging.
Bunyamin Yavuz1, Onur Sinan Deveci, Burcu Balam Yavuz
1Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. byavuz_md@yahoo.com
Summary
QT dispersion (QTd), a marker of heart electrical instability, significantly increases with age. This study found higher QTd in elderly individuals, suggesting age-related cardiovascular changes impact heart rhythm.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Geriatrics
- Electrophysiology
Background:
- Age-related cardiovascular changes are common, with arrhythmias frequently leading to medical emergencies in older adults.
- QT dispersion (QTd) serves as a noninvasive indicator of cardiac electrical instability.
- Understanding age-related changes in QTd is crucial for assessing cardiovascular risk in aging populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between advancing age and QT dispersion (QTd).
- To compare QTd values in elderly individuals versus younger subjects.
Main Methods:
- One hundred forty-six subjects (18-82 years) were divided into two groups: elderly (≥65 years) and younger (<65 years).
- A 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded for each participant.
- QTd was manually calculated as the difference between the longest and shortest QT intervals (QTmax - QTmin).
Main Results:
- QTd was significantly higher in the elderly group (35.6 ± 15.6 ms) compared to the younger group (24.2 ± 12.4 ms) (P < 0.001).
- A significant positive correlation was observed between QTd and age (r = 0.415, P < 0.001).
- Female subjects exhibited higher QTd (31.9 ± 16.7 ms) than male subjects (26.0 ± 11.3 ms) (P = 0.018).
Conclusions:
- QT dispersion increases with advancing age.
- Elevated QTd in the elderly suggests heightened cardiac electrical instability.
- Further long-term studies are warranted to correlate increased QTd with clinical outcomes in aging patients.