title: Electrocardiographic changes in vitamin B6 deficient rats.
abstract: Serial electrocardiograms of vitamin B6 deficient rats show significant changes from those of rats on a complete diet. Animals fed a totally deficient diet from weaning grow slowly and die after about 12 weeks, often with a terminal weight loss. R and T amplitudes increase, then terminally decrease and are significantly greater than those of control animals. The PR interval is significantly shorter at times. Individuals have shown transient AV block, irregular sinus rhythm, wandering pacemaker, and inverted T waves. Autopsy findings include hypertrophy (89%), dilatation (61%) and atrial thrombi (44%). ECG's of adult animals remained normal for about three months after being fed the deficient diet. The two males developed premature ventricular contractions of several ectopic foci. Finally, split QRS complexes were observed. The female had a normal ECG until the final record at 234 days when some minor changes were seen. Extensive cardiomyopathic changes were found in two out of the three adults at autopsy.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D026681:Vitamin B 6 Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*