Female alcoholics: electrocardiographic changes and associated metabolic and electrolytic disorders.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the electrocardiographic changes and their associations with metabolic and electrolytic changes in female alcoholics.


METHODS
The study comprised 44 female alcoholics with no apparent physical disorder. They underwent the following examinations: conventional electrocardiography; serologic tests for syphilis, Chagas' disease, and hepatitis B and C viruses; urinary pregnancy testing; hematimetric analysis; biochemical measurements of albumin, fibrinogen, fasting and postprandial glycemias, lipids, hepatic enzymes, and markers for tissue necrosis and inflammation.


RESULTS
Some type of electrocardiographic change was identified in 33 (75%) patients. In 17 (38.6%) patients, more than one of the following changes were present: prolonged QTc interval in 24 (54.5%), change in ventricular repolarization in 11(25%), left ventricular hypertrophy in 6 (13.6%), sinus bradycardia in 4 (9.1%), sinus tachycardia in 3 (6.8%), and conduction disorder in 3 (6.8%). The patients had elevated mean serum levels of creatine phosphokinase, aspartate aminotransferases, and gamma glutamyl transferase, as well as hypocalcemia and low levels of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. The patients with altered electrocardiograms had a more elevated age, a lower alcohol consumption, hypopotassemia, and significantly elevated levels of triglycerides, postprandial glucose, sodium and gamma glutamyl transferase than those with normal electrocardiograms. The opposite occurred with fasting glycemia, magnesium, and alanine aminotransferase.


CONCLUSIONS
The electrocardiographic changes found were prolonged QTc interval, change in ventricular repolarization, and left ventricular hypertrophy. Patients with normal and abnormal electrocardiograms had different metabolic and electrolytic changes.
Borini
Paulo
P
Hospital Espírita de Marília, Marília, SP, Brazil. fborini@unimedmarilia.com.br
Terrazas
José Henrique Imaca
JH
Ferreira Júnior
Arlindo
A
Guimarães
Romeu Cardoso
RC
Borini
Sabrina Bicalho
SB
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000503:physiopathology; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology
D003402:Creatine Kinase