Circadian variation in QT dispersion determined from a 12-lead Holter recording: a methodological study of an age- and sex-stratified group of healthy subjects

TY - JOUR

T1 - Circadian variation in QT dispersion determined from a 12-lead Holter recording

T2 - a methodological study of an age- and sex-stratified group of healthy subjects

AU - Hansen, S

AU - Rasmussen, Verner

AU - Larsen, Klaus

AU - Torp-Pedersen, Christian

AU - Jensen, Gorm Boje

AU - Hansen, Stig

AU - Torp-Pedersen, Christian

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - Background: QT dispersion is considered to reflect inhomogeneity of myocardial repolarization. Method: The circadian variation of QT interval dispersion was examined in 95 healthy subjects using 24-hour Holter monitoring. Three different methods of lead selection were applied: all 12 leads (QTdisp 12), only precordial leads (QTdisp 6), and the pair of leads selected at 3 a.m. in which the longest and shortest QT intervals were found in each individual subject (QTdisp 2). Results: A preliminary methodological study including measurements from every minute in 10 subjects revealed no significant circadian variation using mean values of QTdisp 12, QTdisp 6, or QTdisp 2 obtained every hour, every 2, or every 4 hours, except in QTdisp 6, which demonstrated a significant circadian variation (P < 0.01) in 1-hour measurements. Analysis of all 95 subjects using measurements obtained every 4 hours revealed a significant circadian variation in QTdisp 12 and QTdisp 6 (P < 0.0001), whereas no circadian variation was seen in QTdisp 2. A subdivision into 10-year age groups revealed that subjects at age >50 years had a significant circadian variation in QTdisp 12 and QTdisp 6, but not in QTdisp 2. Only in males a significant circadian variation was seen in QTdisp 12 (P < 0.0001), whereas QTdisp 6 demonstrated a circadian variation both in females (P < 0.001) and in males (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Selection of leads is of crucial importance for repetitive measurements of QT dispersion. Circadian variation was detected in subjects over 50 years of age, when all 12 or only the 6 precordial leads were taken into account.

AB - Background: QT dispersion is considered to reflect inhomogeneity of myocardial repolarization. Method: The circadian variation of QT interval dispersion was examined in 95 healthy subjects using 24-hour Holter monitoring. Three different methods of lead selection were applied: all 12 leads (QTdisp 12), only precordial leads (QTdisp 6), and the pair of leads selected at 3 a.m. in which the longest and shortest QT intervals were found in each individual subject (QTdisp 2). Results: A preliminary methodological study including measurements from every minute in 10 subjects revealed no significant circadian variation using mean values of QTdisp 12, QTdisp 6, or QTdisp 2 obtained every hour, every 2, or every 4 hours, except in QTdisp 6, which demonstrated a significant circadian variation (P < 0.01) in 1-hour measurements. Analysis of all 95 subjects using measurements obtained every 4 hours revealed a significant circadian variation in QTdisp 12 and QTdisp 6 (P < 0.0001), whereas no circadian variation was seen in QTdisp 2. A subdivision into 10-year age groups revealed that subjects at age >50 years had a significant circadian variation in QTdisp 12 and QTdisp 6, but not in QTdisp 2. Only in males a significant circadian variation was seen in QTdisp 12 (P < 0.0001), whereas QTdisp 6 demonstrated a circadian variation both in females (P < 0.001) and in males (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Selection of leads is of crucial importance for repetitive measurements of QT dispersion. Circadian variation was detected in subjects over 50 years of age, when all 12 or only the 6 precordial leads were taken into account.

U2 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1542-474X.2007.00160.x

DO - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1542-474X.2007.00160.x

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1082-720X

VL - 12

SP - 185

EP - 196

JO - Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology

JF - Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology

IS - 3

ER -