Myocardial repolarization is affected in patients with ascending aortic aneurysm

Abstract

ObjectiveAscending aortic aneurysm (AAA) is one of the major causes of ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Diastolic dysfunction can induce ventricular repolarization dispersion. Nevertheless, myocardial repolarization dispersion is not yet to be fully evaluated in patients with AAA. We aimed to evaluate ventricular repolarization using QT and Tp-Te interval and corrected (c) Tp-Te/QT ratio in patients with AAA. MethodsOne hundred-four patients with AAA without coronary artery disease (CAD) served as the aneurysm group and 82 patients having a normal aortic diameter as the control group. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for measurements of LV diastolic function and underwent electrocardiography (ECG) to calculate RR, QT, Tp-Te intervals and QT dispersion. Bazett's formula was used to calculate QTc and cTp-Te intervals. cTp-Te/QT ratio was also calculated. ResultsThe groups were similar according to basal characteristics. We found left ventricular diastolic properties were impaired and QT dispersion, QTc interval, and both of Tp-Te and cTp-Te intervals were significantly prolonged in the aneurysm group than the control group. There were also significant correlations between TTE and ECG parameters. On multivariate linear regression analysis, indexed ascending aortic dimension (AAoD), LA diameter and E/e′ ratio were independent predictors of ventricular repolarization dispersion in AAA patients. ConclusionsOur study results showed that patients with AAA may have an increased risk for ventricular arrhythmogenesis because of deteriorated the left ventricular diastolic function.