Investigating Novel Electrocardiographic Ventricular Repolarization Markers in Scleroderma Patients

Abstract

Aim: Ventricular repolarization involves the J-wave, ST-segment, T-wave, and U-wave on the surface electrocardiography (ECG). QT dispersion, Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT, Tp-e/QTc, Tp-e/JT, and Tp-e/JTc ratios are some indices that predict ventricular tachyarrythmias. Although studies, evaluating repolarization abnormalities in scleroderma have frequently focused on Tp-e interval, QT, and Tp-e/QT, in our study, we aimed to investigate the risk of ventricular arrhythmia by using Tp-e/JT and Tp-e/JTc ratios, which are relatively new parameters.Methods: The study comprised 42 patients with scleroderma (mean age: 50.8 ± 7.3 years; 38 women and 4 men) and 40 healthy controls (mean age: 47.9 ± 5.5 years; 37 women and 3 men). We leveraged a standard 12-lead ECG recording to measure Tp-e interval, Tp-e/JT, Tp-e/JTc, Tpe/QTc, and Tp-e/QT parameters for each patient.Results: Compared to the scleroderma patients electrocardiographic repolarization parameters including Tp-e (90.8 ± 10.9 vs 77.0 ± 10.2, p