Examination of New Electrocardiographic Repolarization Markers in Diabetic Patients with Noncritical Coronary Artery Disease.

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a multisystemic, chronic disease that affects many organs. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in patients with DM. The electrocardiogram's new ventricular repolarization parameters can predict mortality and morbidity. The ventricular repolarization indices were examined in diabetic patients with a CAD diagnosis in this study.

METHODS

The study group consisted of 84 DM patients (51 males; mean age 58.8 ± 6.6) with noncritical CAD. The control group consisted of 84 DM patients (47 males; mean age 58.7 ± 8.8) with a normal coronary artery. The intervals of QT, QRS, JT, and Tp-e were all measured. Tp-e/QT, Tp-e/QTc, Tp-e/JT, and Tp-e/JTc ratios were determined with QTc, QTd, QTdc, and JTc intervals.

RESULTS

Heart rate (74.4 ± 13.1 vs. 70.0 ± 13.6 bpm, : 0.036), QT (381.0 ± 30.3 vs. 368.6 ± 29.1 ms, : 0.008), QTc (407.5 (359-450) vs. 389 (339-430) ms, < 0.001), QTd (25.1 ± 6.2 vs. 21.9 ± 9.9 ms, : 0.013), QTdc (26.7 ± 6.1 vs. 23.1 ± 10.8 ms, : 0.010), Tp-e (95.7 ± 12.2 vs. 73.6 ± 9.8 ms, < 0.001), JT (293.8 ± 22.0 vs. 283.5 ± 30.9 ms, : 0.014), and JTc (313.6 ± 12.3 vs. 302.4 ± 33.7 ms, =0.005) intervals, and Tp-e/QT (0.25 ± 0.03 vs. 0.20 ± 0.03 ms, < 0.001), Tp-e/QTc [0.23 (0.19-2.33) vs. 0.19 (0.14-0.25) ms, =0.007], Tp-e/JT (0.33 ± 0.04 vs. 0.26 ± 0.04 ms, < 0.001), and Tp-e/JTc (0.30 ± 0.03 vs. 0.24 ± 0.03 ms, < 0.001) ratios were all found to be significantly higher in diabetic patients with noncritical CAD.

CONCLUSION

In this study, ventricular repolarization markers on the surface ECG were found to be elevated in diabetic CAD patients. These variables may be related to fatal arrhythmic events. To be sure, large-scale, randomized controlled trials are required.