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Introduction: Arrhythmias are one of the most common causes of
mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This study aimed
to investigate the relationships of arrhythmia susceptibility markers (QT,
QTc, Tpe, Tpe-D, Tpe/QT, and Tpe/QTc) with the localization and volume
of the ischemic area, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale
(NIHSS) scores, and troponin levels in AIS.
Methods:Patients diagnosed with AIS in the emergency department in the
period from 01 November 2016 to 31 March 2019 were retrospectively
reviewed. Patients admitted to the emergency department with no
pathological ECG findings were included. The measurements of QT,
QTc, Tpe, Tpe-D, Tpe/QTc, and Tpe/QT were performed under a digital
microscope. The NIHSS scores, troponin values, and the ischemic area
volume based on the diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging
findings at the time of admission were found.
Results: A total of 135 patients, comprising 70 AIS patients and 65
individuals as controls, were included in the study. The male/female
ratio was 73/62 and the mean age was 68.51±10.80 years. All of the ECG
parameters in the AIS group and the control group were statistically
significantly different between the groups except Tpe-D (p=0.454) (For
QT, QTc, Tpe, Tpe/QTc, and Tpe/QT; p=0.003, 0.022, <0.001, 0.001,
0.001; respectively). QT, QTc, Tpe, Tpe/QTc, and Tpe/QT values were not
significantly different between the groups with a NIHSS score of ≤5 and
>5 (p=0.480, 0.688, 0.663, 0.512, 0.333, respectively).
Conclusions: Arrhythmia susceptibility markers including QT, QTc, Tpe,
the values of Tpe-D, Tpe/QT, and Tpe/QTc are different in AIS patients
compared to the individuals in the control group; therefore, these
parameters can be included among the other parameters of close
cardiac monitoring.
Keywords: Acute ischemic stroke severity, arrhythmia susceptibility,
electrocardiography, infarct volume, T peak to T end