Prolonged QT interval and risk of sudden death in South-East Asian men.
Sudden death in sleep occurs in substantial numbers among young men in South-East Asia. The frequencies of electrocardiographic abnormalities were measured in groups with varying risks of such sudden death. The mean heart-rate-corrected QT interval (QTc) was significantly (p less than 0.05) greater among 123 Laotian refugees in Thailand at high risk (405 [95% confidence interval 397-413] ms) than in 77 Laotian refugees in the United States at lower risk (364 [359-369] ms) and 199 non-Asian US residents at negligible risk (358 [354-362] ms). Among refugees in Thailand, prolonged QTc interval was associated with poor thiamine status and a history of seizure-like episodes in sleep. Thiamine deficiency may be a cause of prolonged QT interval and sudden death in this region.
Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City.
R G
RG
Munger
R J
RJ
Prineas
R S
RS
Crow
S
S
Changbumrung
V
V
Keane
V
V
Wangsuphachart
M P
MP
Jones
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D007812:Laos / Q000208:ethnology; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D012036:Refugees; D012307:Risk Factors; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D012890:Sleep; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D013832:Thiamine Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology