Skip Navigation



Europace Advance Access published online on February 13, 2006
Europace, doi:10.1093/europace/euj040
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (Rapid PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
8/4/233    most recent
euj040v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Nilsson, G.
Right arrow Articles by Öhrvik, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Nilsson, G.
Right arrow Articles by Öhrvik, J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The European Society of Cardiology 2006. All rights reserved
Received March 15, 2005
Accepted November 13, 2005

Article

QTc interval and survival in 75-year-old men and women from the general population

Göran Nilsson 1 *, P. Hedberg 2, T. Jonasson 2, I. Lönnberg 3, and J. Öhrvik 4

1 Department of Clinical Research, University of Uppsala, Central Hospital, S-721 89 Västerås, Sweden; Department of Electronics, University of Mälardalen, Västerås, Sweden
2 Department of Clinical Physiology, Central Hospital, Västerås, Sweden
3 Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Central Hospital, Västerås, Sweden
4 Department of Clinical Research, University of Uppsala, Central Hospital, S-721 89 Västerås, Sweden

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Göran Nilsson, E-mail: goran.nilsson{at}ltvastmanland.se


  Abstract

Aims The study concerns the relationship of the corrected QT (QTc) interval to 6.4 years of survival and to measures of cardiac function, such as echocardiographic variables and plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), in 75-year-old people.

Methods and results QTc was measured in a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) in 210 men and 223 women, comprising a randomly selected sample from the general population (70% participation rate). The Sicard 440/740 computer-analysis program, with Hodges' formula for heart rate-based QT correction, was used. The optimal cut-off point for predicting survival according to the receiver operating characteristic curve was found between 429 and 430 ms. Individuals with a QTc interval of ≥ 430 ms (n = 115) had decreased survival when compared with those with shorter QTc interval (n = 318); the relative risk was 2.4 (95% confidence interval 1.5-3.7). The predictive ability of QTc reflects an association between QTc and the following variables: BNP, left ventricular mass, and left ventricular ejection fraction (but not diastolic filling patterns). Both Hodges' and Bazett's formulae for heart rate correction of the QT interval were useful for predicting survival. The median QTc was 415 ms using Hodges' formula and 430 ms with Bazett's formula. The QRS component of QTc predicted survival better than the rest of the QTc interval and was approximately as useful as the QTc interval itself.

Conclusion The computer-derived QTc obtained from the ordinary 12-lead ECG identifies high-risk individuals among elderly people from the general population.

Keywords: ECG; QT; BNP; Echocardiography; Risk stratification; Heart rate.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.