Liver cirrhosis-effect on QT interval and cardiac autonomic nervous system activity

Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics as well as laboratory results of the study subjects

	Controls (n = 51)	Patients (n = 51)	P value
Male, n (%)	28 (54.9)	32 (62.7)	0.42
Age (yr)	53.8 ± 13.9	55.2 ± 14.2	0.60
BMI (kg/m2)	26.0 ± 3.5	26.1 ± 4.4	0.95
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	128.3 ± 18.5	127.4 ± 27.1	0.84
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	79.0 ± 10.0	76.0 ± 15.1	0.26
Heart rate (beats/min)	77.05 ± 49.82	76.74 ± 15.82	0.96
Fasting insulin (μU/mL)	10.6 (7.7-12.4)	13.3 (10.6-24.4)	< 0.001
HbA1c (%)	4.97 ± 0.50	4.03 ± 0.74	< 0.001
HOMA-IR	2.40 (1.59-3.08)	3.39 (2.74-5.50)	< 0.001
White blood cells (n/μL) × 103	7.4 ± 2.6	5.5 ± 4.6	0.13
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	14.8 ± 1.2	11.8 ± 2.1	< 0.001
Platelets (n/μL) × 103	225.766 ± 36.24	122.17 ± 94.23	< 0.001
Diabetes, n (%)	1 (2.0)	7 (13.7)	0.02
Use of diuretics, n (%)	0	14 (27.5)	< 0.001
Smoking status, n (%)			34.34
Current smokers	16 (31.4)	22 (43.1)
Non-smokers	26 (51.0)	23 (45.1)
Ex-smokers	9 (17.6)	5 (9.8)

Data presented as mean ± SD or as n (%) or as median value (interquartile range). BMI: Body mass index; HbA1c: Glycated hemoglobin 1c; HOMA-IR: Homeostasis model assessment equation.

Table 2 Clinical characteristics and associated laboratory test results of patients with cirrhos

	n	%
Child-Pugh score	7 (5-9)
Child-Pugh Grade A (score: 5-6)	22	43.1
B (score: 7-9)	18	35.3
C (score: 10-15)	11	21.6
MELD score	29.8 (14.4-39.6)
Decompensated cirrhosis	29	56.9
Alcohol	17	33.3
Viral Hepatitis	24	47.1
Hepatitis Β	10	19.6
Hepatitis C	12	23.5
Hepatitis B + C	2	3.9
Other	10	19.6
Systematic use of beta-blockers (yes)	16	31.4
Ascites (yes)	23	45.1
Esophageal varices (yes)	28	54.9
Liver biopsy	25	49.0
Histologic activity index	8.6 ± 2.9
Disease duration (yr)	3 (0.8-7)
INR	1.41 ± 0.41
AST (U/L)	43.0 (34.0-66.0)
ALT (U/L)	36.0 (24.0-50.0)
ALP (U/L)	262.7 ± 121.8
LDH (U/L)	392.4 ± 123.0
γ-GT (U/L)	39.0 (28.0-76.0)
Cholesterol (mg/dL)	175.9 ± 56.2
Triglycerides(mg/dL)	76.0 (50.0-108.0)
Total bilirubin (mg/dL)	1.25 (0.68-2.29)
Direct bilirubin (mg/dL)	0.75 (0.30-1.13)
Total proteins (g/dL)	7.5 ± 0.8
Albumin (g/dL)	4.0 ± 0.8
Blood potassium (meq/L)	4.2 ± 0.4
Blood sodium (meq/L)	138.1 ± 4.6

Data are presented as mean ± SD or as n (%) or as median value (interquartile range). MELD: Model for end-stage liver disease.

Table 3 Comparison of QT-related parameters between patients and controls

	Controls	Patients	P value
Mean QT (msec)	341.6 ± 29.4	383.9 ± 38.4	< 0.001
QT max (msec)	358.1 ± 56.6	413.5 ± 46.1	< 0.001
QT min (msec)	320.5 ± 28.1	355.4 ± 38.2	< 0.001
dQT (msec)	44.8 ± 14.2	65.6 ± 28.6	0.001
QTc (msec)	364.0 ± 20.6	428.1 ± 31.0	< 0.001
dQTc (msec)	47.6 ± 14.7	65.0 ± 25.9	< 0.001
Mean RR (msec)	863.6 ± 177.0	812.9 ± 159.8	0.13

Data are shown as mean values ± SD. QTc: Corrected QT; dQT: QT dispersion; dQTc: QTc dispersion.

Table 4 The results of the cardiac autonomic function tests in controls and patients

	Controls	Patients	P value
Deep breathing test (value, N/A)	1.25 ± 0.16 (48/3)	1.13 ± 0.13 (23/28)	< 0.001
Valsalva test (value, N/A)	1.45 ± 0.24 (45/6)	1.33 ± 0.25 (30/21)	0.01
Lying-to-standing test (value, N/A)	1.17 ± 0.24 (45/6)	1.08 ± 0.10 (29/22)	0.01
Systolic blood pressure fall to standing (value, N/A)	0 (0-5) (50/1)	10 (0-20) (35/16)	< 0.001
CAN, n (%)	3 (5.9)	28 (54.9)	< 0.001
Total score of CAN	1 (0-2)	4 (2-6)	< 0.001

Data are shown as mean ± SD or as n (%) or as median value (interquartile range). CAN: Cardiac autonomic neuropathy; N: Number of subjects with normal test; A: Number of subjects with abnormal test.