Objectives: This study investigated the ability of QT duration, QT dispersion (QTD) and clinical diagnostic criteria to correctly identify genetically documented LQT1 type long QT syndrome (LQTS) patients, and to separate symptomatic and asymptomatic LQT1 patients.
Background: Ventricular repolarization has played an essential role both in diagnosis and risk assessment of LQTS. Today, molecular genetic techniques permit unequivocal identification of many LQTS patients.
Methods: QT interval and QTD in 12 symptomatic and 18 asymptomatic LQT1 patients and their 43 healthy relatives were evaluated. The sensitivity and specificity of upper normal limits of QT interval, two QT interval adjustment methods (Bazett's and Fridericia's formulas), and the proposed clinical criteria for LQTS were assessed. Occurrence of a mutant (D188N) KVLQT1 gene was considered as the basis of classification into affected and nonaffected individuals.
Results: Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity values were 90% and 88% using Bazett's formula, and 80% and 100% using Fridericia's cubic root formula or upper normal limits for QT interval. Suggested diagnostic criteria for LQTS reached 100% specificity, but 47% of the DNA-documented LQT1 patients were classified into the category of low or intermediate probability of LQTS. QT interval and heart rate did not differ between symptomatic (464 +/- 47 ms, 70 +/- 9 min(-1)) and asymptomatic 460 +/- 41 ms, 65 +/- 13 min(-1)) LQT1 patients. QTD was increased in symptomatic LQT1 patients compared to unaffected relatives (66 +/- 48 vs. 37 +/- 15 ms, p = 0.02), but symptomatic patients LQT1 did not differ from asymptomatic (45 +/- 19 ms).
Conclusions: Not all LQT1 patients can be distinguished from healthy relatives by assessment of QT duration or clinical criteria. Presence of LQT1 gene can carry the risk of cardiac events even with no or only marginal prolongation of QT interval.