JEYARAMAN SAI PRITAM,D. KANIMOZHI,R. KANNAN
DOI: https://doi.org/Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, with significant systemic implications. QTc interval prolongation, a known indicator of cardiac risk, has been observed in COPD patients, though its correlation with disease severity is not well-established.
Aim: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between QTc interval prolongation and the severity of COPD, exploring QTc as a potential marker for cardiac risk in COPD management.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a cohort of 120 participants (60 COPD patients and 60 age- and sex-matched controls) recruited from a tertiary care hospital. COPD severity was classified into mild, moderate, and severe groups based on post-bronchodilator FEV1 values according to GOLD guidelines. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were recorded, and QTc intervals were calculated using Bazett’s formula. Data on patient demographics, pulmonary function, and QTc values were analyzed, with one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation applied to assess the relationship between COPD severity and QTc prolongation.
Results: COPD patients exhibited significantly prolonged QTc intervals compared to controls (p < 0.001). Mean QTc intervals increased with COPD severity (mild = 430.2 ± 10.1 ms, moderate = 455.7 ± 12.8 ms, severe = 470.3 ± 13.9 ms; p < 0.05). A strong positive correlation (r = 0.64, p < 0.01) was observed between QTc prolongation and COPD severity, indicating elevated cardiac risk with disease progression.
Conclusion: The study demonstrates a clear association between QTc interval prolongation and COPD severity. These findings suggest the need for regular cardiac monitoring in COPD patients, particularly those with moderate to severe disease. Future studies are recommended to further explore QTc prolongation as a prognostic tool in COPD care.
