title: Cardiovascular disease in chinese type 2 diabetic women is associated with a prolonged QTc interval.
abstract: We studied the relationships between QT interval and cardiovascular disease status in 192 Chinese type 2 diabetic patients. Of these 192 subjects, 132 (68.8%) were women and 60 (31.2%) were men. The mean age (+/-S.D.) was 56.6+/-12.9 years (range: 23-84, median: 58.0 years). Women had longer QTc interval compared to men (0.402+/-0.030 s vs. 0.387+/-0.026 s, P<0.01). Of the 192 subjects, 18 women and two men had prolonged QTc interval (QTc >0.433 s). Women with prolonged QTc interval have a 2.8-fold greater rate of cardiovascular disease as compared to those with normal QTc interval (38.9% vs. 14.0%, P<0.05). Using multiple regression analysis (stepwise) to assess the relationship with QTc interval with age, sex, body mass index, waist-hip ratio, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, glycated haemoglobin, lipid profiles, smoking and duration of diabetes as independent variables (R(2)=0.146, F=8.88, P<0.001), systolic blood pressure (beta=0.198, P=0.017), age (beta=0. 189, P=0.023) and female gender (beta=0.157, P=0.037) were found to be independently associated with QTc interval. In conclusion, we have shown a significant association between prolonged QTc interval, ischaemic heart disease and cardiovascular disease in Chinese type 2 diabetic women. Age, systolic blood pressure and female gender are independently correlated to QTc interval.
authors: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Prince of Wales Hospital, N.T., Shatin, Hong Kong. gtc_ko@hotmail.com
authors: G T
authors: GT
authors: Ko
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Chan
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Critchley
authors: C S
authors: CS
authors: Cockram
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors