FREQUENCY OF PROLONGED CORRECTED QT INTERVAL IN CHILD PUGH CLASS IN PATIENTS OF CIRRHOSIS OF LIVER

Child Pugh Class of Cirrhosis of Liver

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of prolonged corrected QT interval (QTc) in Child Pugh Class in patients of liver cirrhosis presenting to Combined Military Hospital Peshawar. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medicine, Combined Military Hospital Peshawar, from Dec 2013 to Jun 2014. Material and Methods: One hundred and thirty three patients with liver cirrhosis fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in the study using non-probability consecutive sampling after taking informed consent. All patients were assigned their Child’s Class either A, B or C. Electrocardiogram (ECG) was done and QTc was calculated using Bazett’s formula. QTc of more than 0.44 seconds was taken as prolonged. Results: Out of 133 patients, QTc was prolonged in 78 patients yielding frequency of QTc prolongation in cirrhosis of 58.64%. Frequency of QTc prolongation was 61.18% in males and 54.17% in females. QTc prolongation was 15% in Child Pugh grade A, 54.76% in Child Pugh grade B and 73.24% in Child Pugh grade C. There was a statistically significant association between QTc prolongation and the severity of cirrhosis (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study concludes that there was a statistically significant increase in frequency of QTc prolongation with worsening of Child Pugh Class thereby indicating an association between QTc prolongation and the severity of cirrhosis.