Electrocardiographic abnormalities in patients with acute pancreatitis.
BACKGROUND
Electrocardiographic abnormalities may be associated with acute pancreatitis (AP).


OBJECTIVE
To describe the electrocardiographic disturbances present in patients with AP and to assess differences in electrolyte and pancreatic enzyme levels among patients with and without these abnormalities.


METHODS
Fifty-one consecutive patients with AP and without preexisting heart disease underwent a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG) and a serum electrolyte profile. EKG abnormalities were summarized in terms of frequencies, means, and standard deviations. Electrolyte and enzyme levels were summarized as medians. Differences were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test.


RESULTS
Twenty-eight patients (55%) had an abnormal EKG. Nonspecific changes of repolarization (20%), sinus tachycardia (12%), and left anterior hemiblock (10%) were the most frequent disturbances. Patients with sinus tachycardia had lower levels of phosphorus (2.3 vs. 3.4 mEq/L, P < 0.004) and calcium (8.4 vs. 9.1 mg/dL, P < 0.02). A tendency to higher levels of potassium and lower levels of phosphorus was found in patients with sinus tachycardia and nonspecific changes of repolarization, respectively. No differences were found in amylase, pancreatic amylase, or lipase among patients with normal and abnormal EKG.


CONCLUSIONS
More than 50% of the patients with AP had EKG abnormalities, and these changes could be related to electrolyte alterations.
Rubio-Tapia
Alberto
A
Departments of Gastroenterology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion, Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico. albertorubio_md@hotmail.com
García-Leiva
Jorge
J
Asensio-Lafuente
Enrique
E
Robles-Díaz
Guillermo
G
Vargas-Vorácková
Florencia
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019283:Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D015415:Biomarkers; D004573:Electrolytes; D008049:Lipase; D000681:Amylases