Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Electrophysiology

Background:

• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and AIDS are associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk, including coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmias.
• Ventricular repolarization abnormalities can precede serious cardiac events.
• The Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio have emerged as novel electrocardiographic markers for assessing ventricular repolarization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate ventricular repolarization using Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection.
• To compare these repolarization markers between HIV-infected individuals and a control group.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 48 patients with HIV and 60 healthy control subjects.
• Measurement of Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT ratio, and Tp-e/QTc ratio from standard 12-lead electrocardiograms.
• Correlation analysis to explore relationships between repolarization markers, disease duration, and CD4 count.

Main Results:

• Patients with HIV exhibited significantly higher Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT ratio, and Tp-e/QTc ratio compared to the control group (p<0.01 for all).
• A positive correlation was observed between Tp-e interval and HIV disease duration (r=0.298, p=0.048).
• An inverse correlation was found between Tp-e interval and CD4 count (r=-0.303, p=0.036).

Conclusions:

• The findings indicate prolonged ventricular repolarization in HIV-infected patients, as evidenced by elevated Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratios.
• These electrocardiographic changes may serve as potential biomarkers for subclinical cardiac involvement in HIV infection.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the clinical implications of these repolarization abnormalities in the context of HIV management.