The Relationship between QT Interval Dispersion and End-Stage Liver Disease Score in the Patients Undergoing Orthotopic Liver Transplantation.
BACKGROUND
This study was performed to determine the changes in corrected QT (QTc) and QT dispersion and their relationship with end-stage liver disease score in the children undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation.


METHODS
This case-control study was performed in a 2-year period from February 2009 to March 2011 in Department of Organ Transplantation of Nemazee Hospital. We consecutively included all the 22 pediatric patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation and 22 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. Electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed for all the patients and controls before and 6 months after the transplantation and the QTc was calculated according to Bazett's formula in lead I, aVF, andV1. Besides, QT dispersion was calculated by the difference between maximum and minimum QTc in the three leads. The data were statistically analyzed using independent sample t-test, chi-square test, paired t-test, and Pearson correlation analysis. In addition, P value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.


RESULTS
The patients with end-stage liver disease had significantly longer QTc dispersion (P = 0.002) compared to the controls. The post-transplantation QTc dispersion (P = 0.003) was also significantly longer compared to the healthy controls. Moreover, pretransplant QTc dispersion was negatively correlated with weight (r = ‒0.589, P = 0.004) and Child-Pugh score (r = ‒0.549, P = 0.008).


CONCLUSIONS
The patients with ESLD awaiting liver transplantation suffer from prolonged QTc interval predisposing them to ventricular tachycardia. The QTc prolongation in these patients does not response to liver transplantation. This study revealed a fine negative correlation between the Child- Pugh score and QTc.
Transplant Research Center, Shiraz, IR Iran.
Moghgan
M
Zahmatkeshan
Department of Internal medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
Ebrahim
E
Fallahzadeh
Department of Pediatrics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
Seyedeh Sadat
SS
Najib
Cardiovascular Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
Hamid
H
Amoozgar
Transplant Research Center, Shiraz, IR Iran.
Seyed Ali
SA
Malekhosseini
Transplant Research Center, Shiraz, IR Iran.
Saman
S
Nikeghbalian
Dispersion; Electrocardiography; Liver Transplantation; QT