Electrocardiographic abnormalities among arsenic-exposed persons through groundwater in Bangladesh

Abstract

This study was carried out among arsenic-exposed and non-exposed people of Bangladesh to assess and compare their cardiac status based on electrocardiographic (ECG) findings. For the purpose of the study, participants were included in three groups: arsenic-exposed persons with arsenicosis (arsenicosis group), arsenic-exposed persons without arsenicosis (non-arsenicosis group), and persons not exposed to arsenic (non-exposed group). Each group included 50 respondents. In this study, no significant difference in heart rate, rhythm, axis, and pulse rate interval was detected among the arsenicosis, non-arsenicosis and non-exposed groups. A significant difference in corrected QT interval between the arsenicosis and the non-exposed group (p<0.05) was observed. On the contrary, no statistically significant difference in corrected QT interval between the non-arsenicosis and the non-exposed group was found. Abnormal QRS complex was found among 14%, 8%, and 2% of the arsenicosis, non-arsenicosis, and non-exposed groups respectively. ECG findings, indicative of left ventricular hypertrophy, ischaemic heart disease, and right bundle branch block, were high among the arsenicosis group. Overall, abnormal ECG findings were high (58%) among the respondents of the arsenicosis group and were highly significant (p<0.001). The findings revealed that there was a significant association between ECG abnormalities and arsenic exposure.