QTc PROLONGATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH ELEVATED FIBRINOGEN LEVEL IN RESIDENTS OF NOVOSIBIRSK: DATA FROM THE ESSE-RF3

Highlights An increasing amount of data confirms the link between inflammatory markers and electrophysiological changes in the myocardium. QTc interval prolongation is associated with female gender, blood pressure levels, plasma glucose levels, and ischemic heart disease in residents of Novosibirsk. QTc interval prolongation is associated with elevated fibrinogen levels, independent of other cardiometabolic risk factors and ischemic heart disease in residents of Novosibirsk. Aim. To study the association of the QT interval with fibrinogen along with cardiometabolic risk factors and coronary heart disease in a sample of Novosibirsk residents. Methods. The study was conducted as part of the ESSE-RF3 study on the basis of the IIPM – branch of the IC&G SB RAS. The study included 1,042 residents of Novosibirsk (510 (48.9%) men) aged 35–74 years. The examination program included blood sampling, demographic and social data collection, anthropometry, blood pressure (BP) measurement, and electrocardiogram (ECG) recording. The threshold value of fibrinogen was considered to be ≥ 4 g/L. The presence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and its categories were determined based on the Rose G.A. questionnaire and an ECG assessment according to the Minnesota Code. The QT interval was measured in lead V5. A value of more than 75 percentile was chosen as the QT prolongation (409 ms, n = 261 (25%)). Results. QT prolongation was more common in women (155/532 (29.1%) vs. 106/510 (20.8%), p = 0.002), in patients with high blood pressure (185/624 (29.6%) vs. 76/418 (18.2%), p < 0.001), and high glucose levels (105/307 (34.2%) vs. 156/735 (21.2%), p < 0.001), fibrinogen levels of more than 4 g/L (37/78 (47.4%) vs. 224/964 (23.2%), p < 0.001), the presence of coronary heart disease (62/162 (38.3%) vs. 18/41 (43.9%) vs. 181/839 (21.6%), p < 0.001). According to logistic regression analysis, prolongation of the QT interval is associated with female gender (OR 1.846, 95% CI 1.336–2.551, p < 0.001), blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg (OR 1.454, 95% CI 1.054–2.005, p = 0.022), fasting plasma glucose ≥ 6.1 mmol/L (OR 1.603, 95%CI 1.145–2.245, p = 0.006), fibrinogen levels ≥ 4 g/L (OR 2.504, 95% CI 1.528–4.104, p < 0.001) and CHD (OR 1.336, 95% CI 1.106–1.613, p = 0.003), and the association with fibrinogen was the highest. Conclusion. Prolongation of the QTc interval is associated with fibrinogen levels independently of other cardiometabolic risk factors and coronary heart disease associated with QTc prolongation in Novosibirsk residents.