Cardiac repolarization abnormalities in children with sensorineural hearing loss: A case-control study

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) has been associated with cardiac channelopathies due to shared ion channel mechanisms. However, data regarding ventricular repolarization parameters and the index of cardiac electrophysiological balance (iCEB) in children with SNHL are limited.

To evaluate ventricular repolarization parameters and cardiac electrophysiological balance indices in children with SNHL and to investigate their potential association with arrhythmia risk.

This cross-sectional study included 106 children with bilateral SNHL and 101 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Electrocardiographic parameters including heart rate, QRS duration, QT interval, corrected QT (QTc), frontal QRS-T angle, iCEB (QT/QRS), and corrected iCEB (iCEBc; QTc/QRS) were analyzed. Group comparisons and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed.

Children with SNHL had significantly higher heart rates and shorter QRS, QT, and QTc intervals in unadjusted analyses (all p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in iCEB or iCEBc between groups in unadjusted analyses. However, in multivariable analysis, SNHL was independently associated with increased QTc duration (B = 25.7, p < 0.001) and lower iCEB values (B = -0.16, p = 0.011), whereas no independent association was observed for iCEBc (p = 0.676).

Children with SNHL exhibit significant alterations in ventricular repolarization parameters, particularly QTc prolongation, independent of confounding factors. These findings may suggest an underlying electrophysiological vulnerability and warrant further investigation regarding arrhythmia risk in this population.