The QT interval in epilepsy patients compared to controls

Results: The mean QTc among the epilepsy patients was 0.401 + 0.027 sec. It was significantly shorter than the QTc (0.420 ± 0.027 sec) in the control group (p<0.0005). Thirty-five epilepsy patients (50%) and 17 matched controls (24.3%) had a mean QTc shorter than 0.40s (p=0.001). Among the epilepsy patients, the mean QTc did not significantly differ between patients in the duration (F=0.836, p=0.438) and frequency (F=0.273, p=0.845) and types of seizures (p=0.633). There was no significant difference in the mean QTc between the epilepsy patients on different number of antiepileptic agents (F=0.444, p=0.643). Patients with cryptogenic epilepsy had a mean QTc of 0.392 ± 0.029 sec, which was significantly shorter than patients with symptomatic epilepsy (QTc = 0.410 ± 0.027 sec, p = 0.015). The mean QTc of the same subjects showed no significant interobserver difference (p=0.661). Conclusion: Epilepsy patients demonstrated a significantly shorter QTc than controls in this study, particularly in the subgroup of patients with cryptogenic epilepsy. This observation revealed previously unrecognized QTc abnormalities in epilepsy patients. Thus, epilepsy patients need to be actively screened for QTc as both shortened and prolonged QTc are associated with increase risk of sudden cardiac death. However the clinical significance of QTc abnormalities, observed in the present study; in relation to the pathogenesis of SUDEP merits further evaluation. References