title: Effect of intracoronary balloon inflation at percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty on QT dispersion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  QT dispersion (QTd) has recently been used as a marker for arrhythmic death caused by adverse drug effect. However, the effect of acute ischemia on QTd is not well described.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine the effect of acute ischemia on QTd, 12-lead electrocardiograms were obtained at baseline and 2 minutes after intracoronary balloon inflation in 34 patients. QTd was calculated as a range between shortest (QTmin) and longest (QTmax) QT intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 18 patients balloon inflation provoked ST elevation, increased QTd (43 +/- 20 msec to 61 +/- 19 msec, p = 0.012), and decreased QTmin (390 +/- 43 msec to 361 +/- 43 msec, p < 0.001) without significant effect on QTmax (433 +/- 42 msec to 423 +/- 47 msec). No significant changes in QT measures were observed in eight patients who had ST depression and in eight without ST changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute transmural ischemia provoked by intracoronary balloon inflation increases QTd by reducing the QTmin interval, which may modify the electrophysiologic substrate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Finch University of Health Sciences, The Chicago Medical School, Ill, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tarabey
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sukenik
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Molnar
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Somberg
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged