Tan Li-Guo, Liu Jing-Xuan, Guo Fei, Lin Jing, Xiong Ran, Fu Hao, You Hao-Ming, He Liu, Xia Shi-Jun, Du Xin, Dong Jian-Zeng
Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Department of Cardiology, Shiyan Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China.
Front Cardiovasc Med. 2025 Jul 31;12:1555512. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2025.1555512. eCollection 2025.
QT interval irregularities correlate with severe arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. However, epidemiological data on QT intervals in Chinese adults are lacking. This study aimed to elucidate the distribution of the QT interval (QTc) patterns in Chinese adults and the risk factors associated with a prolonged QTc interval and shortened QTc interval.
This study was based on data from the Chinese Arrhythmia Epidemiology Cross-Sectional Study conducted in seven provinces of China between 2014 and 2016. A total of 42,031 Chinese adults (age ≥ 45 years) were included in the study, and body surface electrocardiograph (ECG) QTc and other indices were systematically analyzed retrospectively among the participants.
The mean QTc interval in Chinese adults was 429.4 ± 25.1 ms (men: 429.7 ± 25.2 ms; women: 430.0 ± 22.0 ms; = 0.97). The 2.5th and 97.5th percentile QTc intervals were 384 and 480 ms, respectively. The prevalence of a long QTc interval (QTc > 440 ms) and a very long QTc interval (QTc > 500 ms) in Chinese adults was 32.64% and 0.60%, respectively. Multifactorial logistic regression analysis found that Han Chinese ethnicity, rural residence, hypertension and health insurance were independently associated with an increased risk of long QTc intervals (all < 0.05). The prevalence of short QT intervals was 4.87% (American Heart Association criteria), 1.84% (European Society of Cardiology criteria), and 0.02% (heart rhythm criteria). Individuals with QTc < 320 ms were not observed in this study. Abnormal renal function (eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) <90 ml/min/m) was independently linked to an elevated risk of short QTc intervals; hypertension was strongly associated with reduced short QTc intervals.
This study provides epidemiological data on the distribution of QT intervals in Chinese adults. Range of the normal QTc interval in Chinese adults is 384-480 ms. The QTc interval is longer in Chinese adults of Han Chinese ethnicity than in those of non-Han Chinese ethnicity. Hypertension is closely associated with a long and short QTc interva, which should be considered when administering medications to hypertensive patients in clinical practice. No individuals with a QTc interval ≤320 ms were observed in this study, indicating that short QT syndrome may be very rare in the Chinese adult population.
QT间期异常与严重心律失常及心源性猝死相关。然而，中国成年人QT间期的流行病学数据尚缺。本研究旨在阐明中国成年人QT间期（QTc）模式的分布情况以及与QTc间期延长和缩短相关的危险因素。
本研究基于2014年至2016年在中国七个省份进行的中国心律失常流行病学横断面研究的数据。共有42031名中国成年人（年龄≥45岁）纳入本研究，并对参与者的体表心电图（ECG）QTc及其他指标进行了系统的回顾性分析。
中国成年人的平均QTc间期为429.4±25.1毫秒（男性：429.7±25.2毫秒；女性：430.0±22.0毫秒；P=0.97）。QTc间期的第2.5百分位数和第97.5百分位数分别为384和480毫秒。中国成年人中QTc间期延长（QTc>440毫秒）和QTc间期极长（QTc>500毫秒）的患病率分别为32.64%和0.60%。多因素logistic回归分析发现，汉族、农村居住、高血压和医疗保险与QTc间期延长风险增加独立相关（均P<0.05）。短QT间期的患病率分别为4.87%（美国心脏协会标准）、1.84%（欧洲心脏病学会标准）和0.02%（心律标准）。本研究未观察到QTc<320毫秒的个体。肾功能异常（估算肾小球滤过率（eGFR）<90毫升/分钟/1.73平方米）与短QT间期风险升高独立相关；高血压与短QT间期减少密切相关。
本研究提供了中国成年人QT间期分布的流行病学数据。中国成年人正常QTc间期范围为384-480毫秒。汉族中国成年人的QTc间期长于非汉族成年人。高血压与QTc间期延长和缩短均密切相关，临床实践中对高血压患者用药时应予以考虑。本研究未观察到QTc间期≤320毫秒的个体，提示短QT综合征在中国成年人群中可能非常罕见。
