title: Effect of dexmedetomidine on the corrected QT and Tp-e intervals during spinal anesthesia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on corrected QT (QTc) and Tp-e intervals in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 50 patients who were scheduled to undergo spinal anesthesia before orthopedic surgeries. Patients were allocated to receive either an infusion of dexmedetomidine or normal saline after spinal anesthesia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  QTc intervals were significantly prolonged after spinal anesthesia, and the prolonged QTc interval returned to baseline values 10 minutes after either normal saline or dexmedetomidine administration in both groups. The QTc interval values after dexmedetomidine administration were significantly shorter compared to the QTc interval values just before dexmedetomidine administration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dexmedetomidine could promote the return of a prolonged QTc interval induced by spinal anesthesia and might be helpful in patients who have a prolonged QTc interval.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Gangnam Severance Hospital, 211 Eonju-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-720, Korea. hanesth@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Youngsoon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: So Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hee Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Dong Woo
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D020927:Dexmedetomidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D020927:Dexmedetomidine
keywords: Dexmedetomidine; electrocardiogram; spinal anesthesia