Cisapride does not modify prolonged Q-T interval in patients with liver cirrhosis

Background: Abnormal small bowel motility, observed in liver cirrhosis, can be reversed with cisapride. Since both cisapride and liver disease are ass ociated with prolonged QT interval, the possibility of adverse cardiovascul ar effects might be expected with cisapride treatment in these patients. Ai m: To evaluate QT interval and other electrocardiographic changes during lo ng term treatment with cisapride in cirrhotic patients. Patients and method s: Forty seven cirrhotic patients were studied. Electrocardiogram was recor ded and the QT interval corrected according to Bazzett's formula was determ ined (normal value <0.44 s). Seventeen patients were treated with cisapride , 10 mg tid for seven months and electrocardiographic controls were perform ed at the end of the treatment. Results: The mean corrected QT interval was 0.46 +/- 0/03 s (range 0.4-0.53). 34 patients (64%) had QTc prolongation ( 0.47 +/- 0,02 s). Statistically significant higher values of QTc were obser ved in patients at Child Pugh stage B and C compared to stage A. No statist ically significant difference according to the etiology of liver disease, w ere observed. No changes in mean QTc duration were observed during cisaprid e treatment. Conclusions: In spite that a prolonged QTc was a frequent find ing in our serie of selected patients, no cardiovascular adverse effects we re observed with long term cisapride treatment.