A Study of QTc interval and its association with microangiopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Achal Garg; Anita Sharma

Volume : VII, Issue : IV, April - 2017

A Study of QTc interval and its association with microangiopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Achal Garg, Anita Sharma

Abstract :

Background: Knowledge regarding diabetes, diabetic care, glycemic control and lifestyle modifications is a key to successful control of diabetes and prevention of diabetic complications.

1. Objective: Our aim was to estimate prevalence of prolonged QTc interval as an predictor of cardiac autonomic neuropathy and to see its association with postural hypotension and microangiopathic complications (Diabetic Neuropathy, Retinopathy, Nephropathy) and other factors including duration of diabetes, metabolic control and smoking with abnormalities of the QTc interval in type 2 diabetic patients in predicting cardiac autonomic neruopathy (CAN).

Material and Method: Cross–sectional study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, Himalayan institute of medical sciences, Dehradun from December 2014 to March 2016. A total of 400 patients of type–2 diabetes mellitus of more than one year duration were studied. The QT interval was measured on electrocardiographic (ECG) recordings. The patients with HbA1c levels > or = 7.5% were considered as poorly controlled. The relationship of postural hypotension (PH) and heart rate variability with the duration and control of diabetes were also evaluated. Data was analyzed using SPSS 23.0 software. Chi–square and logistic regression tests were used. A ‘p’ value less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The mean QTc interval was 0.49 ± 0.03 seconds, mean duration of diabetes was 10.82 ± 5.89 years and mean HbA1c in our study was 8.96 ± 1.98. Patients with long standing diabetes ( >10 years) and poor metabolic control (HBA1c > 7.5) had strong correlation with QTc prolongation. QTc showed a significant correlation with the control of diabetes, postural hypotension and diabetic complications.

Conclusion: Prolonged QTc interval and postural hypotension are relatively easy, quick and inexpensive methods to measure cardiac autonomic neuropathy and is significantly associated with CAN.