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QT Interval Prolongation and QRS Voltage Reduction in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

Halina Cichoż-Lach1, Michał Tomaszewski2, Agnieszka Kowalik1

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.

Advances in Clinical and Experimental Medicine : Official Organ Wroclaw Medical University
|October 16, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, including prolonged QT intervals and reduced QRS voltage, are common in liver cirrhosis. Low QRS voltage is linked to ascites and can be reversed upon its removal.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Hepatology
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Liver cirrhosis is frequently associated with cardiovascular system dysfunction.
  • Electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities are commonly observed in patients with cirrhosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze ECG changes in patients with liver cirrhosis.
  • To investigate the impact of alcoholic etiology and ascites on ECG alterations in cirrhosis.

Main Methods:

  • Involved 81 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, 41 with hepatitis C virus (HCV) cirrhosis, 42 with alcoholic steatohepatitis, and 46 with alcoholic steatosis.
  • A control group of 32 healthy volunteers was included.
  • Standard 12-lead ECG recordings were performed and analyzed for specific parameters.

Main Results:

  • Patients with alcoholic and HCV cirrhosis exhibited significantly longer QT and QTc intervals and lower QRS voltage compared to controls.
  • Lower QRS voltage was observed in cirrhotic patients with ascites compared to those without.
  • Ascites removal led to a significant increase in QRS voltage.

Conclusions:

  • Cirrhosis, regardless of cause, is characterized by prolonged QT/QTc intervals and reduced QRS voltage on ECG.
  • Prolonged QT/QTc intervals did not correlate with cirrhosis severity or ascites presence.
  • Reduced QRS voltage is associated with ascites, and this finding is reversible after ascites treatment.
Abstract

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