Evaluation of Ventricular Repolarization Parameters in Patients Admitted to Emergency Department with Electrical Injury

Abstract

Objective: Prolonged T-peak to T-end (Tp-e), a ventricular repolarization parameter, has been related with ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). Novel electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters of ventricular repolarization have received considerable attention recently. In this study, we sought to investigate ventricular repolarization indexes such as the Tp-e and corrected Tp-e (Tp-ec) intervals, Tp-e/QT, Tp-e/QTc, and Tp-ec/QT ratios in patients with electrical injuries (EIs). Methods: Thirty-six patients diagnosed with EIs and 35 age- and sex-matched healthy control patients were included. Admission ECGs of the EI patients were compared with those of the healthy controls. QT and QTc intervals were measured, and the Tp-e and Tp-ec intervals, Tp-e/QT, Tp-ec/QT, and Tp-e/QTc ratios were then calculated from a 12-lead surface ECG. Results: The QT, Tp-e, Tp-e/QT, Tpe/QTc, Tp-ec/QT were not significantly different between the control group and the EI group (p > 0.05). However, the mean QTc interval was significantly higher in the EI group compared to the control group (412.81 +/- 25.46 vs 396.31 +/- 26.47 ms; p:0.009). Furthermore, the Tp-ec and Tp-ec/QT of the EI subgroup with elevated troponin levels significantly differed from those of the EI patients with normal troponin levels (p:0.033 and p:0.016, respectively). Conclusions: This retrospective study indicated that patients with EIs tend to have a prolonged QTc interval. Additionally, Tp-ec and Tp-ec/QT, which reportedly designate the tendency for VAs, were significantly higher in the EI patients with elevated troponin I levels than the EI patients with normal troponin levels, suggesting that patients with myocardial injury may be prone to VAs.