title: Impact of QT interval prolongation following antiarrhythmic drug therapy on left ventricular function.
abstract: We assessed whether antiarrhythmic drug-induced QT interval prolongation affects left ventricular function.
  
  
  
  Study population included 54 patients with symptomatic recent onset atrial fibrillation spontaneously cardioverted to sinus rhythm. Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic studies were done before initiating and after achieving drug's steady state.
  
  
  
  Significantly prolonged corrected QT interval (QTc) was noticed following only sotalol and amiodarone. The corrected precontraction time increased after sotalol (p = 0.005) and amiodarone (p = 0.017), not propafenone (p = 0.139). Analysis results between ΔEF and ΔQTc, ΔEF and ΔQTc(p), ΔE/e' and ΔQTc, ΔE/e' and ΔQTc(p) for amiodarone group were (p = 0.66, p = 0.20, p = 0.66, p = 0.33), for sotalol (p = 0.36, p = 0.51, p = 0.44, p = 0.33) and for propafenone (p = 0.38, p = 0.12, p = 0.89, p = 0.61), respectively.
  
  
  
  QT interval prolongation following antiarrhythmic therapy does not affect significantly left ventricular function.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Patras, Rion, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chouchoulis
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Patras, Rion, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chiladakis
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Patras, Rion, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koutsogiannis
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Patras, Rion, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Periklis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Davlouros
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Patras, Rion, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaza
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Patras, Rion, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alexopoulos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011405:Propafenone / Q000494:pharmacology; D013015:Sotalol / Q000494:pharmacology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D011405:Propafenone; D013015:Sotalol; D000638:Amiodarone
keywords: QT interval prolongation; antiarrhythmic drug therapy; left ventricular function