title: Associations of ECG interval prolongations with mortality among ESRD patients evaluated for renal transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is unknown whether prolongation of electrocardiogram (ECG) intervals is associated with mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients evaluated for renal transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the relationship between 12-lead ECG interval measurements (PR >200 ms, QRS >110 ms, or QTC >450 ms) and the presence of none, 1, and 2 or more ECG interval prolongations with all-cause mortality in 930 adult ESRD patients evaluated for renal transplantation from August 2006 to October 2008 and followed through November 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 108 (11.6%) patients died after a median follow-up of 3.1 years. A stepwise increase in all-cause mortality occurred among adult ESRD patients with prolongation of 1, and 2 or more ECG intervals. In adjusted analyses, the rate of death in patients with at least 1 ECG interval prolongation was 69% higher than that of patients with no ECG prolongations (HR=1.69; 95% CI: 1.05-2.73). Patients with 2 or more ECG interval prolongations had a 2.5-fold increased likelihood of dying vs. patients with no ECG interval prolongations (HR 2.53, 95% CI 1.38-4.82).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ECG interval prolongations are associated with higher mortality in patients evaluated for renal transplantation. The ECG is a potentially important evaluative tool for risk assessment in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Flueckiger
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pastan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.
authors.forename: Abinav
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.
authors.forename: William W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: McClellan
authors.affiliation: Emory Transplant Center, Emory University, Atlanta, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Patzer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006327:Heart Block / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000401:mortality*; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000401:mortality*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult