title: Effect of epirubicin-based chemotherapy and dexrazoxane supplementation on QT dispersion in non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aim of the present study was to assess the effect of epirubicin-based chemotherapy on QT interval dispersion in patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and the effect of dexrazoxane supplementation. Prolongation of QT dispersion may not only represent a sensitive tool in identifying the first sign of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity, but it may serve also in identifying patients who are at risk of arrhythmic events.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty untreated patients, <or=60 years of age with newly-diagnosed aggressive NHL, eligible for a treatment with epirubicin-based chemotherapy were selected for the study. The patients were randomly allocated in two subgroups (N=10) to receive or not dexrazoxane hydrochloride (400 mg/m(2)) after epirubicin infusion. The patients underwent 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) before and after epirubicin infusion and after dexrazoxane supplementation. QT dispersion was defined as the difference between the maximum and the minimum QT interval occurring in any of the 12 ECG leads, corrected (QTc) for heart rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the 20 patients showed increased QT dispersion (44.3 +/- 8.4 vs. 68.4+/-11.4 ms, P<0.001) and QTc dispersion (46.2 +/- 6.2 vs. 72.2 +/- 8.4, P<0.001) after chemotherapy infusion. The 10 patients who underwent supplementation with dexrazoxane exhibited a significant reduction of QT dispersion (67.4 +/- 8.1 vs. 49.5 +/- 4.2 ms, P<0.001) and QTc dispersion (71.2 +/- .7 vs. 51.4 +/- 4.3 ms, P<0.001), while the 10 patients not supplemented with dexrazoxane did not (QT dispersion: 69.3 +/- 7.6 vs. 64.2 +/- 6.9 ms; QTc dispersion: 72.8 +/- 8.1 vs. 67.3 +/- 7.2 ms, ns).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epirubicin-based chemotherapy causes an early increase of the QT and QTc dispersion, which is attenuated by dexrazoxane supplementation. Therefore, dexrazoxane can reduce the arrhythmic risk in patients treated with epirubicin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa School of Medicine, Via Roma, 67, Italy. fgaletta@med.unipi.it
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Galetta
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franzoni
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cervetti
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cecconi
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carpi
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petrini
authors.forename: Gino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Santoro
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011929:Razoxane / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D015251:Epirubicin; D011929:Razoxane