Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity (Nov 2014)

Evaluation of the indications and arrhythmic patterns of 24 hour Holter electrocardiography among hypertensive and diabetic patients seen at OAUTHC, Ile-Ife Nigeria

  • Adebayo RA,
  • Ikwu AN,
  • Balogun MO,
  • Akintomide AO,
  • Mene-Afejuku TO,
  • Adeyeye VO,
  • Bamikole OJ,
  • Bisiriyu LA,
  • Ajayi OE,
  • Ogunyemi SA,
  • Oketona OA

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2014, no. default
pp. 565 – 570

Abstract

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Rasaaq A Adebayo,1 Amanze N Ikwu,1 Michael O Balogun,1 Anthony O Akintomide,1 Tuoyo O Mene-Afejuku,1 Victor O Adeyeye,1 Olaniyi J Bamikole,1 Luqman A Bisiriyu,2 Olufemi E Ajayi,1 Suraj A Ogunyemi,1 Omolola A Oketona1 1Cardiology Unit, Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, 2Department of Demography and Social Statistics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria Background: There are very limited published studies in Nigeria on the use of 24 hour Holter electrocardiogram (Holter ECG) in the arrhythmic evaluation of hypertensive and diabetic patients. Objective: To evaluate indications, arrhythmic pattern of Holter ECG, and heart rate variability (HRV) among patients with hypertensive heart disease (HHD) with or without heart failure and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) seen in our cardiac care unit. Methods: Seventy-nine patients (32 males and 47 females) were studied consecutively over a year using Schiller type (MT-101) Holter ECG machine. Results: Out of the 79 patients, 17 (21.5%) had HHD without heart failure, 33 (41.8%) had HHD with hypertensive heart failure (HHF), while 29 (36.7%) were T2DM patients. The mean (standard deviation) ages of HHD without heart failure, HHF and T2DM patients were 59.65 (±14.38), 65.15 (±14.30), and 54.66 (±8.88) respectively. The commonest indication for Holter ECG was palpitation (38%), followed by syncope (20.3%). Premature ventricular contraction was the commonest arrhythmic pattern among the 79 patients, especially among HHF patients. The HRV, using standard deviation of all normal-normal intervals was significantly reduced in T2DM patients (81.03±26.33, confidence interval [CI] =71.02–91.05) compared to the HHD without heart failure (119.65±29.86, CI =104.30–135.00) and HHF (107.03±62.50, CI =84.00–129.19). There was a negative correlation between the duration of T2DM and HRV (r=−0.613). Conclusion: Palpitation was the commonest Holter ECG indication and premature ventricular contractions were the commonest arrhythmic pattern among our patients. HRV was reduced in T2DM patients compared with hypertensive patients. Keywords: Holter electrocardiography, arrhythmias, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, Nigerians