Cardiovascular disease in Chinese type 2 diabetic women is associated witha prolonged QTc interval

We studied the relationships between QT interval and cardiovascular disease status in 192 Chinese type 2 diabetic patients. Of these 192 subjects, 132 (68.8%) were women and 60 (31.2%) were men. The mean age (+/-S.D.) was 56. 6+/-12.9 years (range: 23-84, median: 58.0 years). Women had longer QTc int erval compared to men (0.402+/-0.030 s vs. 0.387+/-0.026 s, P<0.01). Of the 192 subjects, 18 women and two men had prolonged QTc interval (QTc >0.433 s). Women with prolonged QTc interval have a 2.8-fold greater rate of cardi ovascular disease as compared to those with normal QTc interval (38.9% vs. 14.0%, P<0.05). Using multiple regression analysis (stepwise) to assess the relationship with QTc interval with age, sex, body mass index, waist-hip r atio, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, glycated haemoglobin, lipid p rofiles, smoking and duration of diabetes as independent variables (R-2=0.1 46, F=8.88, P<0.001), systolic blood pressure (beta =0.198, P=0.017), age ( beta =0.189, P=0.023) and female gender (beta =0.157, P=0.037) were found t o be independently associated with QTc interval. In conclusion, we have sho wn a significant association between prolonged QTc interval, ischaemic hear t disease and cardiovascular disease in Chinese type 2 diabetic women. Age, systolic blood pressure and female gender are independently correlated to QTc interval. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.