title: QTc interval prolongation is independently associated with severe hypoglycemic attacks in type 1 diabetes from the EURODIAB IDDM complications study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to assess whether severe hypoglycemic attacks were cross-sectionally associated with abnormalities of the QTc interval in type 1 diabetic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 3,248 type 1 diabetic patients from the EURODIAB IDDM Complications Study. Severe hypoglycemia was defined as an attack serious enough to require the help of another person. A corrected QTc interval (QTc) >0.44 s was considered abnormally prolonged.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen percent of patients declared one to two attacks, and 13.2% of patients had three or more attacks. Prevalence of QTc prolongation was greater in patients who experienced three or more hypoglycemic attacks. Logistic regression analysis showed that the frequency of severe hypoglycemia was independently associated with QTc prolongation, even after adjustment for diabetes complications, including autonomic neuropathy (odds ratio 1.27, 95% CI 1.02-1.58).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have provided evidence that severe hypoglycemic attacks are independently associated with a prolonged QTc interval in type 1 diabetic patients from the EURODIAB IDDM Complications Study.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, Turin, Italy. gabriella.gruden@unito.it
authors: Gabriella
authors: G
authors: Gruden
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Giunti
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Barutta
authors: Nish
authors: N
authors: Chaturvedi
authors: Daniel R
authors: DR
authors: Witte
authors: Marinella
authors: M
authors: Tricarico
authors: John H
authors: JH
authors: Fuller
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Cavallo Perin
authors: Graziella
authors: G
authors: Bruno
mesh_terms: D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000150:complications*; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*