QT interval analysis in patients with acute biliary pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: It has been previously proposed that electrocardiographic abnormalities may be associated with acute pancreatitis. However, there is a lack of data on the QT interval and dispersion value in patients with acute pancreatitis, and no data are also available concerning QT interval and QT dispersion in acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP).

AIMS: : We aimed to investigate the QT parameters in patients with ABP, to compare them with those of healthy controls, and to analyze the relationship between QT parameters and Ranson score.

METHODS: The present study included 32 patients with acute biliary pancreatitis and 35 healthy controls. The severity of the pancreatitis was determined by Atlanta criteria: fewer than 3 Ranson criteria or fewer than 8 APACHE II (the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) points indicated the mild disease (group 1); 3 or more Ranson criteria or 8 or more APACHE II points or organ failure or systemic complications or local complications indicated the severe disease (group 2). On admission, all patients underwent a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram, and corrected maximum QTc interval (QTcmax), corrected minimum QT interval (QTcmin), and corrected QTc dispersion (QTcd) values of the subjects were measured according to the Bazett formula in this study.

RESULTS: QTcmax and QTcd were significantly longer in patients with ABP than in healthy controls (442 +/- 38 milliseconds versus 413 +/- 34 milliseconds, P < 0.05; and 67 +/- 21 milliseconds versus 42 +/- 18 milliseconds, P < 0.001, respectively). Similarly, QTcmax and QTcd were significantly longer in group 2 than in group 1 (440 +/- 38 milliseconds versus 450 +/- 34 milliseconds, P < 0.01; and 66 +/- 9 milliseconds versus 71 +/- 11 milliseconds, P < 0.01, respectively). Correlation analysis showed that there is a significant positive relationship between Ranson scores of patients and QTcmax and QTcd (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION: The effect of acute biliary pancreatitis on QT intervals and dispersion appears to be dependent not only on the disease but also on its severity, and these parameters may give additional prognostic information in ABP patients, even in the initial evaluation.