Author/Authors :
Şentürk, Ebru Tayfun Uludag University - Department of Pediatrics, Turkey , Semizel, Evren Uludag University - Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Turkey , Bozdan, Özlem Mehtap Uludag University - Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Turkey , Okan, Mehmet Uludag University - Department of Pediatric Neurology, Turkey , Çil, Ergün Uludag University - Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Turkey
Abstract :
Purpose: Sudden death in epileptic patients may due to epilepsia or drug induced arrhythmia.The aim of this study is to identify changes of QT dispersion, as a predictive marker for arrhythmias, in children treated with antiepileptic drugs. Material and Methods: Ninety children treated with antiepileptic drugs and 30 healthy children as controls were involved in the study. Standard 12-lead surface electrocardiograms (ECG) of the study groups were evaluated before antiepileptic drug therapy and after 3 months. ECG of the control group was also reviewed at the beginning of the study and after 3 months. QT, JT and RR intervals were measured in both groups. The corrected QT (QTc) and JT (JTc) intervals were determined and QTc and JTc dispersions were measured. Results: QTc and JTc dispersion were found to be 85.8±16.5 ms and 79.8±15.6 ms respectively in patients group before the therapy and 43.3±8.2 ms and 40.8±5.6 ms in control group at the beginning (p 0.05). Even QTc dispersion were found to be significantly decreased after 3 months of therapy (80.5±12.9 ms), it was still significantly higher than the QTc dispersion in control group after 3 months. Conclusion: Determination of QTcd and JTcd values may be useful to predict the risk of sudden death in epileptic patients.
