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Prolongation of the QTc interval in HIV-infected individuals compared to the general population

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Abstract

Objectives

Prolonged QT interval is associated with arrhythmias and sudden death. An increased prevalence of QT interval prolongation in human immunodeficiency virus-infected (HIV) subjects was previously described. The impact of different medications and HIV infection itself on the QT interval is rarely investigated in large HIV+ cohorts.

Methods

We compared QT interval measurement in 496 HIV(+) patients of the HIV-HEART study (HIVH) and 992 sex- and age-matched controls of the population-based German Heinz Nixdorf Recall study (HNR). QT corrected for heart rate (QTc) >440 ms in male and >460 ms in female was considered pathological. We analysed the impact of HIV status and HIV medication on QTc prolongation in the HIVH subjects.

Results

We observed longer QTc in HIVH subjects compared with HNR controls: 424.1 ms ± 23.3 vs. 411.3 ± 15.3 ms for male and 435.5 ms ± 19.6 vs. 416.4 ms ± 17.3 for female subjects (p < 0.0001 for both sexes). Adjusting for QT prolonging medication the mean differences in QTc between the two studies remained significant with 12.6 ms (95% CI 10.5–14.8; p value <0.0001) for male and 19.3 ms (95% CI 14.5–24.2; p value <0.0001) for female subjects. Prolongation of QTc was pathologic in 22.8 vs. 3.9% of HIV(+) and non-infected males and in 12.1 vs. 1.8% of the females [OR of 7.9 (5.0–12.6) and OR of 6.7 (1.8–24.2), respectively]. Smoking behaviour was an independent factor to lengthen QTc in HIV(+) patients. Diabetes mellitus was not a risk factor itself, but might be associated with medication which was associated with LQT. We could not observe any influence of the HIV status, ART, or any co-medication on the QTc.

Conclusions

Our study showed that HIV(+) patients had significantly longer QTc intervals compared to the general population. The number of patients with pathologic QTc prolongation was significantly increased in HIV(+) population.

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Acknowledgements

The authors give their respect and thanks to all participating and supporting persons of the present study, including the staff of the recruiting centers, i.e. the team of Dr. Hower (Dortmund).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine I and Cardiology, Division of Electrophysiology, Alfried Krupp von Bohlen and Halbach Hospital, Alfried-Krupp-Str. 21, 45131, Essen, Germany

    Nico Reinsch

  2. Department of Cardiology, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany

    Nico Reinsch

  3. Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IMIBE), University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany

    Marina Arendt, Marie Henrike Geisel, Lewin Eisele, Raimund Erbel, Susanne Moebus & Karl-Heinz Jöckel

  4. Clinic of Dermatology, Department of Venerology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany

    Christina Schulze, Anna Warnke, Dirk Schadendorf & Stefan Esser

  5. Clinical Trial Centre Leipzig-Coordination Centre for Clinical Trials (ZKS Leipzig-KKS), University Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

    Volker Holzendorf

  6. Out-Patient-Clinic Staubach, Bochum, Germany

    Till Neumann

  7. Clinic of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany

    Norbert H. Brockmeyer

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  1. Nico Reinsch
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On behalf of HIV HEART Study Group and the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Investigative Group

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Correspondence to Nico Reinsch.

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Reinsch, N., Arendt, M., Geisel, M.H. et al. Prolongation of the QTc interval in HIV-infected individuals compared to the general population. Infection 45, 659–667 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-017-1053-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-017-1053-9

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