Evaluation of Electrocardiographic T-peak to T-end Interval in Subjects with Increased Epicardial Fat Tissue Thickness

• Published in: Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia Vol. 105; no. 6; pp. 566 - 572
• Main Authors: Kaplan, Ozgur, Kurtoglu, Ertugrul, Nar, Gokay, Yasar, Erdogan, Gozubuyuk, Gokhan, Dogan, Cem, Boz, Ahmet Ugur, Hidayet, Sıho, Pekdemir, Hasan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia 01.12.2015; Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia - SBC; Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia (SBC)
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - physiopathology; Aged; Arritmias Cardíacas / etiologia; CARDIAC & CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS; Case-Control Studies; Echocardiography; Electrocardiography - methods; Eletrocardiografia; Female; Heart Rate - physiology; Heart Ventricles - physiopathology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Organ Size; Original; Pericardium - physiopathology; Pericárdio; Reference Values; Risk Factors; Statistics, Nonparametric; Tachycardia, Ventricular - physiopathology; Tecido Adiposo; Valores de Referência; Electracardiography; Cardiac; Valores de Referência; Reference Values; Eletrocardiografia; Adipose Tissue; Tecido Adiposo; Pericárdio; Arritmias Cardíacas / etiologia; Arrhythmias; Pericardium
• DOI: 10.5935/abc.20150124
• ISSN: 0066-782X; 1678-4170

The association between periatrial adiposity and atrial arrhythmias has been shown in previous studies. However, there are not enough available data on the association between epicardial fat tissue (EFT) thickness and parameters of ventricular repolarization. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the association of EFT thickness with indices of ventricular repolarization by using T-peak to T-end (Tp-e) interval and Tp-e/QT ratio. The present study included 50 patients whose EFT thickness ≥ 9 mm (group 1) and 40 control subjects with EFT thickness < 9 mm (group 2). Transthoracic echocardiographic examination was performed in all participants. QT parameters, Tp-e intervals and Tp-e/QT ratio were measured from the 12-lead electrocardiogram. QTd (41.1 ± 2.5 vs 38.6 ± 3.2, p < 0.001) and corrected QTd (46.7 ± 4.7 vs 43.7 ± 4, p = 0.002) were significantly higher in group 1 when compared to group 2. The Tp-e interval (76.5 ± 6.3, 70.3 ± 6.8, p < 0.001), cTp-e interval (83.1 ± 4.3 vs. 76±4.9, p < 0.001), Tp-e/QT (0.20 ± 0.02 vs. 0.2 ± 0.02, p < 0.001) and Tp-e/QTc ratios (0.2 ± 0.01 vs. 0.18 ± 0.01, p < 0.001) were increased in group 1 in comparison to group 2. Significant positive correlations were found between EFT thickness and Tp-e interval (r = 0.548, p < 0.001), cTp-e interval (r = 0.259, p = 0.01), and Tp-e/QT (r = 0.662, p < 0.001) and Tp-e/QTc ratios (r = 0.560, p < 0.001). The present study shows that Tp-e and cTp-e interval, Tp-e/QT and Tp-e/QTc ratios were increased in subjects with increased EFT, which may suggest an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmia.