Original Article
Spinal Cord (2007) 45, 518–521; doi:10.1038/sj.sc.3102049; published online 6 March 2007
Gender differences in QTc interval in young, trained individuals with lower spinal cord injury
K S Heffernan1, S Y Jae1, M Lee1, M Mojtahedi1,2, E M Evans1,2, W Zhu1 and B Fernhall1
- 1Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
- 2Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
Correspondence: KS Heffernan, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, Exercise and Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Rehabilitation Education Center, 1207 S Oak St, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
Abstract
Study design:
Cross-sectional comparison.
Objective:
To examine gender differences in rate-corrected QT interval (QTc), an index of ventricular depolarization/repolarization, in young, trained men and women with lower spinal cord injury (SCI) and able-bodied (AB) controls.
Setting:
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Exercise and Cardiovascular Research Lab, USA.
Methods:
Subjects consisted of 16 athletes with SCI (eight men and eight women) and 16 age-matched AB active controls (eight men and eight women). QT interval dynamics was derived from ECG recordings and rate corrected using the Bazett formula.
Results:
Men with SCI had QTc similar to that of AB men (369.3
7.5 versus 357.93.0 ms, P>0.05). Women with SCI had QTc similar to that of AB women (400.04.6 versus 385.26.5 ms, P>0.05). AB women had longer QTc interval than AB men, and SCI women had longer QTc than SCI men (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
Gender differences in ventricular depolarization/repolarization are present in trained individuals with SCI. Thus, similar to their AB gender-matched peers, women with SCI have longer QTc intervals and may be at greater risk for the development of untoward cardiac arrhythmias than men with SCI.
Keywords:
spinal cord injury, QT interval, heart rate, electrocardiogram
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