title: Brugada syndrome ECG is highly prevalent in schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The causes of increased risk of sudden cardiac death in schizophrenia are not resolved. We aimed to establish (1) whether ECG markers of sudden cardiac death risk, in particular Brugada-ECG pattern, are more prevalent among patients with schizophrenia, and (2) whether increased prevalence of these ECG markers in schizophrenia is explained by confounding factors, notably sodium channel-blocking medication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In a cross-sectional study, we analyzed ECGs of a cohort of 275 patients with schizophrenia, along with medication use. We determined whether Brugada-ECG was present and assessed standard ECG measures (heart rate, PQ-, QRS-, and QT-intervals). We compared the findings with nonschizophrenic individuals of comparable age (the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety [NESDA] cohort; N=179) and, to account for assumed increased aging rate in schizophrenia, with individuals 20 years older (Hoorn cohort; n=1168), using multivariate regression models. Brugada-ECG was significantly more prevalent in the schizophrenia cohort (11.6%) compared with NESDA controls (1.1%) or Hoorn controls (2.4%). Moreover, patients with schizophrenia had longer QT-intervals (410.9 versus 393.1 and 401.9 ms; both P<0.05), increased proportion of mild or severe QTc prolongation (13.1% and 5.8% versus 3.4% and 0.0% [NESDA], versus 5.1 and 2.8% [Hoorn]), and higher heart rates (80.8 versus 61.7 and 68.0 beats per minute; both P<0.05). The prevalence of Brugada-ECG was still increased (9.6%) when patients with schizophrenia without sodium channel-blocking medication were compared with either of the control cohorts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brugada-ECG has increased prevalence among patients with schizophrenia. This association is not explained by the use of sodium channel-blocking medication.
authors.affiliation: From the Heart Center (M.T.B., H.L.T.) and Department of Cardiology (H.L.T.), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Community Mental Health, Mental Health Care North Holland North, Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (A.S., B.W.J.H.P., J.M.D.), Department of Psychiatry (A.S., B.W.J.H.P.), EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research (G.N., J.M.D.), and Department of General Practice (G.N.), VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands (C.D.A.S.).
authors.forename: Marieke T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Blom
authors.affiliation: From the Heart Center (M.T.B., H.L.T.) and Department of Cardiology (H.L.T.), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Community Mental Health, Mental Health Care North Holland North, Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (A.S., B.W.J.H.P., J.M.D.), Department of Psychiatry (A.S., B.W.J.H.P.), EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research (G.N., J.M.D.), and Department of General Practice (G.N.), VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands (C.D.A.S.).
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: From the Heart Center (M.T.B., H.L.T.) and Department of Cardiology (H.L.T.), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Community Mental Health, Mental Health Care North Holland North, Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (A.S., B.W.J.H.P., J.M.D.), Department of Psychiatry (A.S., B.W.J.H.P.), EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research (G.N., J.M.D.), and Department of General Practice (G.N.), VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands (C.D.A.S.).
authors.forename: Adrie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seldenrijk
authors.affiliation: From the Heart Center (M.T.B., H.L.T.) and Department of Cardiology (H.L.T.), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Community Mental Health, Mental Health Care North Holland North, Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (A.S., B.W.J.H.P., J.M.D.), Department of Psychiatry (A.S., B.W.J.H.P.), EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research (G.N., J.M.D.), and Department of General Practice (G.N.), VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands (C.D.A.S.).
authors.forename: Brenda W J H
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Penninx
authors.affiliation: From the Heart Center (M.T.B., H.L.T.) and Department of Cardiology (H.L.T.), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Community Mental Health, Mental Health Care North Holland North, Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (A.S., B.W.J.H.P., J.M.D.), Department of Psychiatry (A.S., B.W.J.H.P.), EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research (G.N., J.M.D.), and Department of General Practice (G.N.), VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands (C.D.A.S.).
authors.forename: Giel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nijpels
authors.affiliation: From the Heart Center (M.T.B., H.L.T.) and Department of Cardiology (H.L.T.), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Community Mental Health, Mental Health Care North Holland North, Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (A.S., B.W.J.H.P., J.M.D.), Department of Psychiatry (A.S., B.W.J.H.P.), EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research (G.N., J.M.D.), and Department of General Practice (G.N.), VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands (C.D.A.S.).
authors.forename: Coen D A
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Stehouwer
authors.affiliation: From the Heart Center (M.T.B., H.L.T.) and Department of Cardiology (H.L.T.), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Community Mental Health, Mental Health Care North Holland North, Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (A.S., B.W.J.H.P., J.M.D.), Department of Psychiatry (A.S., B.W.J.H.P.), EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research (G.N., J.M.D.), and Department of General Practice (G.N.), VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands (C.D.A.S.).
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dekker
authors.affiliation: From the Heart Center (M.T.B., H.L.T.) and Department of Cardiology (H.L.T.), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Community Mental Health, Mental Health Care North Holland North, Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (D.C.); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (A.S., B.W.J.H.P., J.M.D.), Department of Psychiatry (A.S., B.W.J.H.P.), EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research (G.N., J.M.D.), and Department of General Practice (G.N.), VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands (C.D.A.S.). h.l.tan@amc.uva.nl.
authors.forename: Hanno L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D053840:Brugada Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002037:Bundle-Branch Block / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D000075224:Cardiac Conduction System Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000002:abnormalities; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009426:Netherlands; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
keywords: Brugada Syndrome; electrocardiography; schizophrenia