[Corrected QT interval and diabetic neuropathy of the cardiovascular system]

Our objective was the analysis of the utility of the corrected QT interval (QTc) for the assessment of severity of cardiac autonomic neuropathy. Fourty nine patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus/IDDM/were enrolled in the study. Their ages ranged between 16 and 58 years, and the duration of IDDM ranged between 1 and 38 years. Patients were tested for cardiac autonomic neuropathy using ProSciCard system. We carried out four tests: resting pulse deep breathing pulse Ewing test Valsalva maneuver Our results showed the relationship between the QTc interval lengthening and the occurance of cardiac autonomic neuropathy. No correlation was found between the QTc interval and the extend of cardiac autonomic neuropathy.

The QTc interval measurement is a good routine test for the diagnosis of cardiac autonomic neuropathy. The corrected QT interval is not a reliable indicator of the extend of cardiac autonomic neuropathy.