Key result
Methadone therapy for 6 months modestly increased QT dispersion from 32.9 to 42.4 msec (+9.5 msec, p<0.0001) and QTc interval by 14.1 msec (p<0.0001).
Why the study?
Does methadone therapy increase QT-interval dispersion and QTc interval in patients newly admitted for methadone maintenance?
Population
118 patients newly admitted to a methadone maintenance treatment facility
Comparison
Methadone therapy for 6 months vs Baseline (pre-treatment) values
Design
Cohort, Investigators interpreting ECGs were blinded to time interval and…
Follow-up
6 months
Authors
Loading...
Methadone may increase QTc and dispersion, warranting ECG caution; leaves open arrhythmia risk in maintenance therapy.
Cohort (n=118)
Blinded (investigators blinded to time interval and dose)
No
Does methadone therapy increase QT-interval dispersion and QTc interval in patients newly admitted for methadone maintenance?
Effect estimate: +9.5 msec
Absolute Event Rate: 42.4% vs 32.9%
p-value: p=<0.0001
Methadone therapy causes a modest but statistically significant increase in QTc interval and QT dispersion, reflecting heterogeneous cardiac repolarization, especially when combined with antidepressants.
Krantz et al. (2005) conducted a cohort in Patients requiring methadone maintenance (n=118). Methadone vs. Baseline was evaluated on QT dispersion (+9.5 msec, p=<0.0001). Methadone therapy for 6 months modestly increased QT dispersion from 32.9 to 42.4 msec (+9.5 msec, p<0.0001) and QTc interval by 14.1 msec (p<0.0001).
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: