Novel Electrocardiographic Parameters of Altered Repolarization in Uncomplicated Overweight and Obesity

Abstract

In addition to well-known electrocardiographic measurements, as QT, QT dispersion, and QT apex dispersion, new parameters such as Tpeak-Tend, Tpeak-Tend dispersion, and Tpeak-Tend/QT ratio have been recently introduced as indexes of increased arrhythmic risk. The aim of the present study was to test, in overweight and obese subjects not affected by conditions of comorbidity, the aforementioned markers of ventricular repolarization. We studied 60 athletic subjects with normal body weight (21 females and 39 males, BMI between 19 and 24, mean BMI 22.0 ± 2.0kg/m(2), aged 14-64 years, mean age 32 ± 13.59) and 60 sedentary and overweight/obese subjects (34 overweight and 26 obese, 22 females, and 38 males, BMI between 26 and 55, mean BMI 30.7 ± 5.7kg/m(2), aged 14-64, mean age 38 ± 14.49). Each subject underwent anthropometric measurements and a 12-lead electrocardiogram, from which the following different parameters were calculated: QT, corrected QT, QT dispersion, QT apex dispersion, Tpeak-Tend, Tpeak-Tend dispersion and Tpeak-Tend/QT ratio were calculated. The aforementioned repolarization markers resulted, respectively: 340.2 ± 25.1, 373.8 ± 25.9, 29 ± 16.2, 23.5 ± 14.6, 87.3 ± 12.8, 26.5 ± 16.8, and 0.22 ± 0.03ms in control subjects and 362.5 ± 28.5, 397.4 ± 35.4, 34.5 ± 16.8, 30.7 ± 16.3, 90.5 ± 15.2, 27 ± 17.1, and 0.22 ± 0.04ms in overweight/obese subjects. Neither uncomplicated obesity nor overweight were associated with a statistically significant difference in QT dispersion, QT apex dispersion, Tpeak-Tend, Tpeak-Tend dispersion, and Tpeak-Tend/QT ratio; QT and corrected QT were the only parameters that showed statistically significant variations between normal weight and overweight/obese subjects.