ABSTRACT
20 patients with mitral valve prolapse were subjected to full clinical examination, 12 lead electrocardiogram [speed 25 mm/sec] followed by a rhythm strip on lead II or V4-V6, echocardiographic examination including doppler study and 24-hours ambulatory Holler monitoring. Twenty normal age and sex matched to the individuals with no cardiac complaints were subjected to the above mentioned investigations except echocardiographic examination which was not done in all the patients. In both groups both the mean and maximum QT intervals were measured and corrected using the formula derived from Bazelt by dividing the measured QT interval by the square root of the corresponding R-R interval. The aim of this study was to determine the relation between the abnormalities of the QT interval and the occurrence of arrhythmias. In this study it was found that the incidence of QT prolongation in patients with MVP varied between 20% by using the mean QT interval and 70% with the maximum QT interval. Higher incidence of arrhythmias were found in patients with MVP in whom the maximum QT interval were prolonged compared with those with normal maximum QT interval. Also we found a trend toward longer QT intervals and higher heart rates in patients with MVP