The QT and QS2 intervals in patients with mitral leaflet prolapse

The QT interval was plotted against the R-R interval in 92 patients with mitral prolapse and 92 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Ten patients (11%) lay above the upper 95% confidence limit for the control group, and analysis of variance confirmed a small group effect (p less than 0.05). Despite this, the mean QT intervals in the two groups differed by only 7 msec and a t test showed no significant difference between the groups. The prevalence of QT prolongation was exaggerated by Bazett's rate correction formula (62%) or historical control groups published by Simonson (58%) or Ashman (70%). Simultaneous QT and QS2 intervals were measured in 67 patients with mitral prolapse. Inversion of the normal QT:QS2 relationship occurred in nine patients (13%) and was more common in the presence of severe mitral regurgitation. It was not associated with an increased prevalence of absolute QT prolongation and was therefore thought to be caused by relative shortening of the QS2 interval. In conclusion, the prevalence of QT prolongation in mitral prolapse is low (11%). The QT:QS2 ratio is unlikely to be a reliable indicator of QT prolongation in these patients.