ECG changes in patients with acute ethanol intoxication.
OBJECTIVE
To assess how ethanol in potential lethal serum concentrations affects features of the ECG that may be associated with cardiac arrhythmias.


METHODS
We included 84 patients, who were hospitalised with assumed acute ethanol intoxication. In the emergency room resting ECG was recorded and blood was collected for serum osmolality measurement used as a proxy for ethanol level. Thirty-two also had ECG recorded at discharge. Twenty-seven hospitalised patients without known alcohol ingestion served as controls. ECG segment durations were compared with controls and related to intoxication level.


RESULTS
In subjects with moderately elevated to high serum osmolality, the P wave and QTc intervals were prolonged compared with sober subjects. P wave, PR, QRS and QTc intervals were longer when the subjects had high blood ethanol levels (at admission) than at discharge (p-values: 0.0001, 0.0002, 0.010 and <0.0001 for P wave, PR, QRS and QTc intervals. n=32).


CONCLUSIONS
Ethanol at high to very high blood concentration causes several changes in the ECG that might be associated with increased risk of arrhythmias.
Aasebø
Willy
W
Medical Department, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway. Willy.Aaseboe@rikshospitalet.no
Erikssen
Jan
J
Jonsbu
Jørgen
J
Stavem
Knut
K
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000150:complications*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009994:Osmolar Concentration
D000431:Ethanol