QTc prolongation in adolescents with acute alcohol intoxication

Abstract

In adults, alcohol intoxication is associated with prolongation of the QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc). The QTc is influenced by age and sex. Although alcohol intoxication is increasingly common in adolescents, there are no data on the prevalence of QTc prolongation in adolescents with alcohol intoxication. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of QTc prolongation in adolescents with alcohol intoxication and identify at-risk adolescents. In this observational study including adolescents aged 10–18 years, heart rate and QT interval were automatically assessed from an electrocardiogram (ECG) at alcohol intoxication using a validated algorithm. The QTc was calculated using both the Bazett formula (QTcB) and Fridericia formula (QTcF). If present, an ECG recorded within 1 year of the date of admission to the emergency department was obtained as a reference ECG. A total of 317 adolescents were included; 13.3% had a QTcB and 7.9% a QTcF longer than the sex- and age-specific 95th-percentile. None of the adolescents had a QTcB or QTcF > 500 ms, but 11.8% of the adolescents with a reference ECG had a QTcB prolongation of > 60 ms, while no adolescents had a QTcF prolongation of > 60 ms. QTc prolongation was mainly attributable to an increase in heart rate rather than QT prolongation, which underlies the differences between QTcB and QTcF. Male sex and hypokalaemia increased the likelihood of QTc prolongation.Conclusion: QTc prolongation was seen in approximately 10% of the adolescents presenting with alcohol intoxication, and although no ventricular arrhythmias were observed in this cohort, QTc prolongation increases the potential for malignant QT-related arrhythmias. Clinicians must be aware of the possibility of QTc prolongation during alcohol intoxication and make an effort to obtain an ECG at presentation, measure the QT interval, and give an adequate assessment of the findings. We advocate admitting adolescents with alcohol intoxication and QTc prolongation. During hospital admission, we recommend limiting exposure to QTc-prolonging medication, increasing potassium levels to a high-normal range (4.5–5.0 mmol/L) and obtaining a reference ECG at discharge. What is Known:• One out of five deaths in adolescents is alcohol-related. Alcohol intoxication has been related to cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.•In adults, alcohol intoxication is associated with QTc prolongation. What is New:•Approximately 10% of the adolescents with alcohol intoxication had a QTc longer than the age- and sexspecific cut-off. In contrast to adults, in adolescents with alcohol intoxication, QTc prolongation is attributable to an increase in heart rate, rather than a prolongation of the QT interval.•Especially males and adolescents with hypokalaemia are at risk of QTc prolongation.

Quality of care received by patients with alcohol poisoning in a pediatric emergency department

“…Se detecta la necesidad de realizar un esfuerzo para la correcta toma y registro de constantes vitales y de aumentar los conocimientos de los médicos de urgencias sobre sustancias psicoactivas potencialmente cardiotóxicas, puesto que no se identificaron en la mayoría de las ocasiones. De hecho, se ha reportado que los adolescentes con IE tienen mayor riesgo de presentar prolongación del QTc, por lo que probablemente se debería ampliar el IC y realizar ECG en todos los casos 10 .…”

Künt göğüs travmalı hastalarda Tp-e aralığı, Tp-e/QT oranı ve Tp-e/QTc oranının Klinik Önemi

“…of heart rate-corrected QT (QTc), potentially fatal ventricular arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death (6). Tp-e interval (Tpe), which is defined as the interval from the peak to the end of the T wave (7,8).…”