Short QT Syndrome

There is controversy whether short QT intervals are associated with sudden death. One trial found QTc intervals < 300ms to be associated with sudden death.Gaita However, a recent Finnish study in a random selection of healthy subjects (n=10 822) did not find an increased incidence of sudden death in patients with short QTc intervals. They defined QTc < 320ms as 'very short' and QTc < 340ms as 'short'. In total, 15 deaths occured in the group with QTc <340ms, with only one possible sudden death (cause of death unknown). They used Friderica's method for QTc correction: .Fridericia They conclude that the ECG is not a good screening tool to find patients with a short QTc interval at risk of sudden death.Anttonen

Precordial ECG tracings of a patient with SQTS

References

<biblio>

1. bazett Bazett HC. An analysis of the time-relations of electrocardiograms. Heart 1920;7:353-370.
2. Lepeschkin pmid=14954534
3. Gaita pmid=12925462
4. Anttonen pmid=17679619
5. Fridericia Fridericia LS. Die Systolendauer im Elektrokardiogramm bei normalen

Menschen und bei Herzkranken. Acta Med Scand. 1920;53:469–486. </biblio>