QT Interval Variability in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Aims: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increases the risk of cardiac arrhythmias. We investigated QT interval variability among OSA patients.

Study Design: It is a descriptive-cross-sectional study.

Methodology: Newly diagnosed OSA patients and healthy controls were studied. Inter-heartbeat and QT intervals were extracted from electrocardiography (for 1 hour at 3 AM). QT interval metrics including duration and variability indexes were compared between patients and controls.

Results: 35 patients and 13 controls were studied. There was no difference between patients and controls, neither between mild/moderate OSA versus severe OSA patients, in the measured QT interval variables. No significant correlation was found between apnea severity and the measured QT interval variables.

Conclusion: We found no difference between OSA patients and controls in QT variability. Also, no clear association between OSA severity and QT variability was observed.