Corrected QT interval in patients with epilepsy attending Kenyatta National Hospital and the Kenya association for the welfare of people with epilepsy clinics in Nairobi
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Date
2013-06-10Author
Rono, John K
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Background: Patients with epilepsy have a mortality rate two to three times that of the
general population. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP)is a
major cause in studies of mortality in epilepsy. SUDEP is defined as a non
accidental death in a patient with epilepsy with or without evidence of a
seizure having occurred and excluding status epilepticus, where autopsy
reveals no anatomical or toxicological cause. The effects of seizures and
anti-epileptic drugs on cardiac conduction are known to cause SUDEP. The
duration of the QT interval (prolonged or shortened) has been implicated in
its pathogenesis.
Objectives: To compare the QT interval in patients with epilepsy with non-epileptic age
(to the nearest one year) and sex matched controls.
Study design: Comparative cross-sectional study
Methods: Standard 12-lead ECGs were recorded from 146 patients with epilepsy (62
not on treatment, 84 on anti-epileptic drugs) and 146 age and sex matched
controls from Kenyatta National Hospital and the Kenya Association for the
Welfare of people with Epilepsy (KAWE)clinics in Nairobi. The mean QT interval
corrected for heart rate (QTc)for the patients with epilepsy and
controls were compared. The relationship between mean QTc and seizure
frequency, type and number of anti-epileptic drugs was analyzed.
Results: The mean QTc for patients with epilepsy (405.7 ±31ms) was significantly
shorter than in the control group (414.9±29.6 ms), p<0.0001l.Untreated
patients with epilepsy had a significantly shorter mean QTc of 405.6±33ms
compared to the matched controls (415.4±27.8ms), p=0.0005. Similarly,
patients on anti-epileptic drugs'1lso had a significantly shorter QTc
compared to the matched controls (405.9±29.6ms vs. 414.6±31ms, p=0.0003).
Sponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
School of Medicine, University of Nairobi