OBJECTIVE: Sudden cardiac death and risk of arrhythmia are higher in patients with ESRD. Tp-e/ QT, and Tp-e/QTc are novel and more reliable indexes of ventricular arrhythmogenesis and sudden cardiac death than QTc. The aim of this study was to assess ventricular repolarization in patients with hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis by using the Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT ratio, and Tp-e/QTc ratio.
MATERIAL and METHODS: A total of 35 healthy controls, 92 hemodialysis patients, and 104 peritoneal dialysis patients were enrolled in the study. The Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT, and Tp-e/QTc ratio were calculated from the ECGs of the individuals and compared among groups.
RESULTS: QT value was significantly higher in hemodialysis group compared with peritoneal dialysis group (p<0.001) and control group (p<0.001). However a difference was not found comparing QT values between peritoneal dialysis and control groups. Tp-e, Tp-e/QTc, Tp-e/QT, and QTc values were significantly higher in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis group comparing to control group. However a statistically significant difference was not found while comparing QTc values between peritoneal dialysis and control groups (p:0.081). When all patients of ESRD without DM were compared with the control group, Tp-e, Tp-e/QTc, Tp-e/QT, and QTc values were found significantly higher than the healthy control group. The values of Tp-e/QT (p<0.001 r:0.314) and Tp-e/QTc (p:0.018 r:0,187) in all patients with kidney disease were found to show positive correlation with duration of dialysis (month).
CONCLUSION: This is the first known study that shows Tp-e/Q, and Tp-e/QTc are higher in hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients.