BACKGROUND: Sudden cardiac deaths due to arrhythmias are thought to be an important cause of mortality in patients with renal transplants. Exposure to immunosuppressive drugs may lead to QT or PR interval abnormalities which may consequently cause arrhythmias. Our study investigated the long term impact of four different immunosuppressive drugs on PR and corrected QT intervals (QTc) in renal transplant patients METHODS: The study population consisted of 98 kidney transplant recipients. Study patients were receiving immunosuppressive management with tacrolimus, cyclosporine A, everolimus or azathioprine according to the local protocols. QTc and PR intervals obtained from the most recent post-transplant electrocardiograms were compared with the pre-transplant intervals dated before the transplantation procedure. RESULTS: Post-transplant QTc intervals had prolonged significantly in comparison to the pre-transplant QTc intervals in all groups. However, there were no significant differences between the immunosuppressive agents with regard to post-transplant QTc interval prolongation (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups with regard to the pre and post-transplant PR interval changes (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: QT interval prolongation, a marker of risk for arrhythmias and sudden death, is highly prevalent among kidney transplant patients receiving different classes of immunosuppressive drugs.
BACKGROUND:Sudden cardiac deaths due to arrhythmias are thought to be an important cause of mortality in patients with renal transplants. Exposure to immunosuppressive drugs may lead to QT or PR interval abnormalities which may consequently cause arrhythmias. Our study investigated the long term impact of four different immunosuppressive drugs on PR and corrected QT intervals (QTc) in renal transplantpatients METHODS: The study population consisted of 98 kidney transplant recipients. Study patients were receiving immunosuppressive management with tacrolimus, cyclosporine A, everolimus or azathioprine according to the local protocols. QTc and PR intervals obtained from the most recent post-transplant electrocardiograms were compared with the pre-transplant intervals dated before the transplantation procedure. RESULTS: Post-transplant QTc intervals had prolonged significantly in comparison to the pre-transplant QTc intervals in all groups. However, there were no significant differences between the immunosuppressive agents with regard to post-transplant QTc interval prolongation (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups with regard to the pre and post-transplant PR interval changes (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:QT interval prolongation, a marker of risk for arrhythmias and sudden death, is highly prevalent among kidney transplant patients receiving different classes of immunosuppressive drugs.
Authors: Tengxian Liu; Barry S Brown; Ying Wu; Charles Antzelevitch; Peter R Kowey; Gan-Xin Yan Journal: Heart Rhythm Date: 2006-04-22 Impact factor: 6.343
Authors: Mehmet Koc; Ahmet Toprak; I Cetin Ozener; Azra Bihorac; Hakan Tezcan; Ali Serdar Fak; Emel Akoglu Journal: Nephron Date: 2002-06 Impact factor: 2.847