Objective: To study the relationship between QT interval dispersion, arterial hypertension and different left ventricular geometric patterns in the framework of a population study.
Design: A random sample of the population of Tallinn, 717 men and women aged 35-59, underwent standard 12-lead ECG at rest and echocardiography. Corrected QT dispersion was considered as prolonged when the duration was > or =70 ms.
Results: In hypertensives with concentric and eccentric hypertrophy, the mean values of corrected QT dispersion were significantly higher than in those with normal geometry. In the normotensive group no significant differences of the mean values of corrected QT dispersion were found in relation to left ventricular geometry. Mean values of corrected QT dispersion were higher in hypertensives than in normotensives in each left ventricular geometric pattern. Corrected QT dispersion > or =70 ms was mainly associated with concentric hypertrophy.
Conclusion: Prolonged corrected QT dispersion is associated with left ventricular geometric abnormalities and arterial hypertension and is mostly related to concentric hypertrophy.