QT interval duration in apparently healthy men is associated with depression-related personality trait neuroticism.
OBJECTIVE
High levels of neuroticism and low self-esteem are markers for vulnerability to depression, a condition associated with a higher risk of arrhythmias. The question as to whether these depression-related personality domains are related to cardiac repolarization (duration of QT interval) in apparently healthy men has been addressed in this study.


METHODS
Participants were 658 clinically healthy males who underwent a health screening programme. QT interval duration was determined in the resting 12-lead electrocardiogram using an automated analysis program. Neuroticism was assessed by the short-scale Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and self-esteem by the Rosenberg self-esteem scale.


RESULTS
Heart-rate corrected QT interval {QTc, formula of Bazett [Bazett HC. An analysis of time relations of electrocardiograms. Heart 1920;7:353-370]} progressively increased across quartiles of neuroticism ratings. By contrast, no differences in QTc were observed across different degrees of self-esteem. A multivariate regression analysis showed that neuroticism was a statistically significant, independent predictor of QTc duration.


CONCLUSIONS
After adjustment for potential confounders, neuroticism scores independently predicted QT interval duration in apparently healthy men. These findings highlight the possibility that higher arrhythmic risk could be present not only in patients with clinical depression but also in depression-prone, otherwise healthy individuals.
Minoretti
Piercarlo
P
Interdepartmental Center for Research in Molecular Medicine (CIRMC), University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli, 24, I-27100 Pavia, Italy.
Politi
Pierluigi
P
Martinelli
Valentina
V
Emanuele
Enzo
E
Bertona
Marco
M
Falcone
Colomba
C
Geroldi
Diego
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013223:Statistics as Topic