Tpe, Tpe Dispersion and Tpe/QT Ratio as Risk Indicators of Malign Ventricular Arrhythmia In Acute Cerebrovascular Event

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Although there are limited data on the change of Tpeak-tend (Tpe), Tpe dispersion (Tpe-d) and Tpe/QT rate, which are new predictors of ventricular arrhythmias in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and acute hemorrhagic stroke (AHS), these parameters have not been evaluated in the transient ischemic attack (TIA). The aim of this study is to evaluate the variation of these parameters by including the TIA and performing a more detailed electrocardiographic (ECG) analysis. METHODS: In this prospective study, patients were put into three groups as 30 with AIS (mean age, 61.17+-14.14 years; 15 women/15 men), 20 with AHS (mean age, 65.05+-9.50 years; 10 women/10 men), and 30 with TIA (mean age 58.10+-13.32 years; 15 women/15 men). Thirty sex- and age-matched healthy controls were recruited. Tp-e, Tpe-d and Tp-e/QT rate were calculated from 12-lead ECG. RESULTS: In AIS and AHS both previous and new arrhythmia parameters were significantly more prolonged, compared to controls and patients with TIA. The prolonged parameter was specific to the derivations of V5 and V6. A positive correlation was present between the age, and Tpe, QTcmax and QTd (r= 0.21, p= 0.028; r= 0.19, p= 0.032; and, r= 0.22, p= 0.013, respectively) DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that ventricular repolarization parameters such as Tpe, Tpe-d and Tpe/QT do not change in TIA, however, both AIS and AHS increase these indexes. This may explain the increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias in acute stroke patients. Moreover, in acute stroke patients, leads V5 and V6 on the ECG appear to be suitable for assessing ventricular repolarization.

Keywords

• stroke
• tpe interval
• tpe/qt ratio
• transient ischemic attack