ABSTRACT

Objective:

To provide data on patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) concerning the effect of autonomic dysfunction on QT dispersion as a predictor of ventricular arrhythmias, and to evaluate the risk of arrhythmia during both the resting state and urodynamic examination, which may increase the likelihood of autonomic dysreflexia due to bladder extension.

Materials and Method:

This prospective, case-controlled study included 30 patients with traumatic SCI and 27 healthy individuals. SCI patients and healthy controls underwent routine physical examination and 12-lead electrocardiography. In the patient group blood pressure and ECG records were obtained during urodynamic assessment. Measurement of the QT interval was performed manually by 2 blinded investigators. QT and QT corrected (QTc) dispersion were calculated. The SCI patients were compared according to the injury level and severity, and the existence of autonomic dysfunction based on urodynamic or autonomic examination.

Results:

QT and QTc dispersion values were higher in the SCI patients than in the controls. The difference in QT and QTc dispersion between the patients with and without autonomic dysfunction was not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

QT dispersion in the SCI patients was higher than that in the controls. As such, the risk of ventricular arrhythmia may be higher in such patients; however, neurological injury level, autonomic dysfunction, and completeness do not contribute to this risk.