• Keith J Anderson and John W Sear.
• Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom. keithanderson@doctors.net.uk
• J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. 2004 Jun 1; 18 (3): 281-7.

ObjectiveTo determine if increased QT interval dispersion (corrected and not corrected for heart rate) is associated with perioperative silent myocardial ischemia or postoperative adverse cardiovascular events.DesignBlinded retrospective observational study.SettingUniversity hospital.ParticipantsOne hundred eighty-one perioperative patients receiving general anesthesia for elective major vascular or orthopedic surgery.InterventionsNone.Measurements And Main ResultsQT dispersion, corrected and uncorrected for heart rate, was prolonged in patients suffering significant myocardial ischemia up to 48 hours assessed by Holter ECG monitoring, for early cardiac morbidity and all early cardiac events (including mortality) up to 1 month postoperatively. There were no significant changes in patients showing early cardiovascular mortality or late cardiac morbidity or mortality between 1 and 12 months postoperatively. Morbidity and mortality were determined from clinical notes, laboratory investigations, and autopsy when available. QT dispersion performed poorly as a screening test to identify those who subsequently developed early adverse cardiovascular outcomes.ConclusionsQT dispersion is prolonged in those at risk of early adverse cardiovascular events but is a poor screening tool.

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