Prognostic value of Tpeak-Tend interval in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to examine the Tpeak-Tend (Tpe/corrected Tpe) interval, which is an indicator of transmural myocardial repolarization, measured non-invasively via electrocardiogram in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE), and to investigate the relationship with 30-day mortality and morbidity.


METHODS
The study included 272 patients diagnosed with acute PE, comprising 154 females and 118 males, with a mean age of 63.1 ± 16.8 years. Tpe/cTpe intervals were calculated from the electrocardiograms with a computer program after using a ruler or vernier caliper manual measuring tool to obtain highly sensitive measurements. The relationship between the electrocardiogram values and 30-days mortality and morbidity were measured.


RESULTS
The study group was divided into three groups according to cTpe intervals: Group 1, < 113 ms; Group 2, 113-133 ms; and Group 3, > 133 ms. White blood cell count and troponin T levels, corrected QT intervals with QRS complex durations, percentage of right ventricle dilatation with right/left-ventricular ratio, 30-day death, and combinations of these values were seen at a higher rate in Group 3 patients compared to the other groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the cTpe interval measured at > 126 ms could be used as a cut-off value in the prediction of mortality and morbidity. The cTpe cut-off values of 126 ms had sensivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value of 80.56 %, 59.32 %, 95.2 %, and 23.2 %, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
cTpe interval could be a useful method in early risk stratification in patients with acute PE.
Department of Cardiology, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram School of Medicine, Meram, Konya, Turkey. abdullahicli@yahoo.com.
Abdullah
A
Icli
Department of Cardiology, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram School of Medicine, Meram, Konya, Turkey. mehmetkayrak@yahoo.com.
Mehmet
M
Kayrak
Department of Cardiology, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram School of Medicine, Meram, Konya, Turkey. hakanakilli@hotmail.com.
Hakan
H
Akilli
Department of Cardiology, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram School of Medicine, Meram, Konya, Turkey. draribas@hotmail.com.
Alpay
A
Aribas
Department of Cardiology, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram School of Medicine, Meram, Konya, Turkey. mukremincoskun@gmail.com.
Mukremin
M
Coskun
Department of Cardiology, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram School of Medicine, Meram, Konya, Turkey. smyyftmzr@hotmail.com.
Sumeyye Fatma
SF
Ozer
Department of Cardiology, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram School of Medicine, Meram, Konya, Turkey. kurt33@hotmail.com.
Kurtulus
K
Ozdemir
D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment