QT dispersion in young athletes [Sporcu çocuklarda QT dispersiyonu]

Abstract

Aim: The risk of sudden death due to ventricular hypertrophy in athletes is controversial. The relation of increased QT dispersion (QTd) with non-homogeneous ventricular repolarization and arrhythmia in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is previously demonstrated. We investigated if sports related ventricular hypertrophy causes such an abnormality in ventricular repolarization. Material and Method: Twenty-eight swimmers and 20 healthy children between 9 and 12.5 years of age were evaluated by history, physical examination, 12-lead-electrocardiography and echocardiography. Heart rate, QT interval, corrected QT (QTc), QTd and QTc dispersion (QTcd) values were compared. Results: Echocardiographic measurements of swimmers were within the normal limits according to their weight. However the interventricular septal thickness (IVSd), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWd), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVDd), left ventricular mass were significantly increased in swimmers compared to the control group. (p<0,0001, 0,009, 0,046, <0,0001 respectively). There was no statistical difference in terms of heart rate, QT interval, QTc, QTd, QTcd. Conclusions: Absence of increased QT dispersion in athletes indicates that the ventricular repolarization is not heterogeneous and the arrhythmia risk is not higher than the normal population in this group.