Association of QTc prolongation with liver function test and complications in patients with cirrhosis: An observational study

A BSTRACT Introduction: Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is a cardiac abnormality due to hepatic cirrhosis, which presents as a serious electrocardiographic complication and often the patient is asymptomatic. The objective of our study was to find the ECG changes in patients with various aetiologies of cirrhosis and correlate them with their respective LFT parameters. Materials and Methodology: We assessed the QTc interval in patients of various aetiologies of liver cirrhosis and correlated them with the prevalence of complication of cirrhosis, such as portal hypertension, splenomegaly, and ascites. Furthermore, we correlated the LFT parameters with their respective QTc interval. Results: Our study evaluated 300 patients of multiple aetiologies of cirrhosis, such as ALD, NASH, DCLD, AIH, HCC, HA, Hep-B, and Wilson’s disease. Prolonged QTc was observed in 194 (64.66%) patients. QTc prolongation was most prevalent in DCLD patients. The association of complication including portal hypertension, splenomegaly, and ascites with prolonged QTc were all statistically significant ( P = <0.001). QTc ms was significantly related to the Child–Pugh class ( P = <0.001). SGOT and SGPT parameters were significantly correlated with QTc intervals ( P = <0.001) in all aetiologies of liver disease. However, the correlation between ALP and indirect bilirubin levels with QTc interval was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Prolonged QTc interval is frequently observed as the ECG abnormality in patients with cirrhosis. QT prolongation correlates with elevated LFTs and cirrhotic complications.