Interictal electrocardiographic alternations in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Previous studies suggested the possible role of autonomic dysfunction in sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). The aim of this study is to assess the interictal ECG alternations especially heart rate variability (HRV), as a marker of autonomic dysfunction, in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and determine the effect of epilepsy type and duration, seizure frequency and anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) on ECG findings. METHODS: In this comparative cross-sectional study, the interictal ECG parameters of 64 consecutive patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and the same number of age and sex-matched controls were analyzed. Epilepsy type and duration, seizure frequency, MRI findings and patients' anti-convulsive medications were determined. RESULTS: Our study showed significant longer mean PR interval, shorter mean QRS duration, shorter mean QTc interval and longer corrected QT interval dispersion (QTcd) in patients with epilepsy compared to healthy subjects. The analysis of RR intervals revealed reduced RR standard deviation (SDNN), which is a marker of reduced HRV. A positive linear correlation was found between QRS duration and epilepsy duration. No significant correlation was found between taking a certain kind of AED, and ECG alternations, except for mild QTcd prolongation in patients taking valproate. CONCLUSION: Our study showed clinically important alternations in interictal ECG parameters in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy which could result in sudden cardiac death.