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. 2007 Apr;12(2):137-44.
doi: 10.1111/j.1542-474X.2007.00152.x.

Changes in the QT intervals, QT dispersion, and amplitude of T waves after hemodialysis

Abdenasser Drighil  1 , John E Madias, Meryem Benjelloun, Hanane Kamoum, Ahmed Bennis, Leila Azzouzi, Asma Yazidi, Benyouness Ramdani
Affiliations

Changes in the QT intervals, QT dispersion, and amplitude of T waves after hemodialysis

Abdenasser Drighil et al. Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol. 2007 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Increased QT dispersion (QTd) has been associated with an increased risk for ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death in the general population and in various clinical states.

Methods: We investigated the impact of hemodialysis (HD) on QT, QTd, and T-wave amplitude in subjects with end-stage renal failure. Data on 49 patients on chronic HD were studied. The QT, QTd, and the sum of amplitude of T waves (SigmaT) in millimetre in the 12 ECG leads, along with a host of other ECG parameters, body weight, blood pressure, heart rate, electrolytes, and hemoglobin/hematocrit were measured before and immediately after HD.

Results: QT decreased (380.9 +/- 38.4-363.5 +/- 36.8 ms, P = 0.001), the QTc did not change (406.2 +/- 30.8-405.4 +/- 32.2 ms, P = 0.8), the QTd increased (31.3 +/- 14.6-43.9 +/- 18.6 ms, P = 0.003), and the SigmaT decreased (32.3 +/- 15.7-25.9 +/- 12.6 mm, P = 0.0001) after HD. There was no correlation between the change in QTd and the changes in serum cations, heart rate, the subjects' weight, T-wave duration, and SigmaT. However, the change in QTc correlated inversely with the change in serum Ca(++) (r =-0.339, P = 0.021).

Conclusion: QTd increased, the SigmaT decreased, and the QTc and T-wave duration remained stable, after HD. The QTd increase, although may be real, could also reflect measurement errors stemming from the decrease in the amplitude of T waves (as shown recently), imparted by HD; this requires clarification, to use QTd in patient on HD.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
. Changes in QTc interval before and after an uncomplicated hemodialysis session; P = NS by Student's t‐test.
Figure 2
Figure 2
. Changes in QT dispersion before and after an uncomplicated hemodialysis session; P = 0.003 by Student's t‐test.
Figure 3
Figure 3
. Changes in ΣT before and after an uncomplicated hemodialysis session; P = 0.0001 by Student's t‐test.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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