Assessment of total cardiac repolarization's spatial distribution among patients with aortic sclerosis

To measure the Tp-e value, which shows the spatial distribution of cardiac repolarization and is defined as a possible predictor for ventricular arrhythmia among patients with aortic sclerosis (AS), and to compare this parameter's length to QTc length within the same population.

60 patients that have been diagnosed with AS have been prospectively included in this study.

60 AS and 64 control patients were evaluated as part of the study. The median age, prevalence for hypertension and diabetes, baseline medications and laboratory results of the groups were similar. The Electrocardiographic QT length of both groups were found similar. In the AS group Tp-e tangent and Tp-e tail values were more longer than control group (P < 0.001). Tp-e tangent index and Tp-e tail index values were also statistically higher among AS patients when compared to the control group. (P < 0.001).

Our study showed that Tp-e durations had increased in AS patients with no structural coronary heart disease. AS causes local degeneration on the aortic root and also has a negative effect on the total cardiac spatial repolarization.