Objectives: Eating disorders have been associated with cardiac repolarization changes, arhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. These cardiac changes are especially investigated in adults or adolescents with anorexia nervosa. This study was underta ken to determine wheather the QT interval and its variability are increased in malnourished children.
Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 34 malnourished children (38±22 months; 10±3,08 kg) and 60 control (36±17 months; 14±3,38 kg). A conventional ECG was performed for computing QT interval, corrected QT interval (QTc), QT dispersion (QTD), and QTc dispersion (QTcD). A blood sample was obtained for measuring hemoglobin, and plasma electrolytic concentrations (Na, K, Ca).
Findings: Control group had greater weight and height values than the malnourished group. There was no significant difference for plasma electrolytic content, QT interval, and QTc interval between two groups (QT: Patient 274±42 ms, Control 274±29 ms; QTc: Patient 388±38 ms, Control 389±16 ms) (p>0,05). When compared with the control group, malnourished children had greater QTD and QTcD values (QTD: Patient 65±28 ms, Control37±11 ms; QTcD: Patient 95±45ms, Control 48±11 ms) (p
|
