Relationship between Abdominal Obesity and Electrocardiographic QTc Interval Prolongation

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Electrocardiographic QTc interval prolongation can cause serious arrhythmias such as ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, torsade de pointes, and even sudden death. Many studies have been performed to clarify whether QTc interval prolongation is related to increasing body mass index (BMI) and abdominal obesity. However, there is no study about the relationship between abdominal obesity and QTc interval prolongation in Korea. We, therefore, studied the relationship between QTc interval prolongation and abdominal obesity among Korean adults. METHODS: The measurement of height, weight, and waist circumference, and standard 12-lead ECG was performed on 3,086 subjects at a health promotion center of a university hospital from March to April, 2003. We excluded: 37 subjects whose ECG or body measurement was not performed, 17 with a past history of cardiac disease or current cardiac medications which can influence QTc interval, 9 taking neuropsychiatric medications, 25 with abnormal serum concentration of potassium or calcium, 1 foreigner and 59 with underweight. First, we studied the correlation between BMI and waist circumference. Then, we analyzed the relationship between QTc interval prolongation and the index of obesity. RESULTS: A total of 2,938 subjects consisted of 2,411 men and 527 women. BMI and waist circumference were shown to have a significant correlation with QTc interval after age was adjusted in men (P<0.01, P<0.01). The odds ratio between QTc interval prolongation and the subjects of normal, overweight, and obesity by BMI were not significant in both men and women. In men with abdominal obesity, the odds ratio between QTc interval prolongation and abdominal obesity by waist circumference was 1.33 (0.99~1.79). CONCLUSION: In men, abdominal obesity was shown a positive correlation with QTc interval prolongation. But these results were not statistically significant.