THE QT DISPERSION: A CURSOR OF EFFECTIVE REPERFUSION AFTER CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY

Abstract

Objective: To find the effect of ischemia on QT dispersion in coronary artery disease patients and to compare QT dispersion before and after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Study Design: Quasi experimental study

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology, Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology/National Institute of Heart Diseases (AFIC/NIHD), Rawalpindi, Dec 2013 to Nov 2014.

Material and Methods: 40 Patients having coronary artery disease with at least one stenotic lesion of greater than 70% of the vessel lumen were included. Patients with diabetes mellitus, systemic arterial hypertension, structural heart diseases and bundle branch block were excluded. DMS 300 4A Holter monitors were used to obtain 12 lead digital ECG recordings pre and post angioplasty. CardioScan premium luxury software was
used for the analysis of QT dispersion.

Results: There were 39 male and 1 female patients with mean age of 55.20 ± 8.03 years. QT dispersion in coronary artery disease patients (46.6 ± 11.20 ms) was significantly increased as compared to normal reference value of 33.4 ± 2.3 ms (p-value < 0.001). After reperfusion QT dispersion was decreased significantly from 46.53 ± 11.47 ms to 35.60 ± 11.34 ms (p-value < 0.001)

Conclusion: Patients with coronary artery disease have prolonged QT dispersion; however, successful reperfusion decreases it significantly.