Changes in QTc and PR Intervals among Indian Type 2 Diabetes Patients with Respect to Prevailing Glycated Hemoglobin Level: a Retrospective Analysis

Cardiovascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) account for a considerable proportion of patients’ mortality. The analysis was done primarily to assess the prevalence of prolonged QTc and PR intervals and to test their association with changes in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values and other demographic and clinical characteristics among Indian diabetic patients. A single-center retrospective study was conducted involving clinical records of all diabetic patients having a routine 12-lead resting electrocardiogram (ECG) investigation from Jan 2019 to July 2019 at the outpatient department of our medical care center. The association between QTc and PR intervals and the following demographic and clinical variables were assessed: age, systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR). The records of 324 patients were included and were found to have 51.5% females, mean age of 53.78 ± 11.98 years, median QTc: 395.63 ms (223–474) and median PR: 152.02 ms (100–240). The prevalence of prolonged QTc (as defined by a value of > 440 ms) and PR intervals (as defined by a value of > 200 ms) were 4.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.34 to 6.92) and 1.5% (95% CI, 0.20 to 2.89), respectively. Patients’ genders and ages significantly affected ECG findings, while other metabolic and clinical parameters had not conferred a significant role in modulating the risk of cardiovascular disease in the current cohort. Prospective studies with larger sample sizes and employing additional parameters are warranted. The study also showed a high prevalence of hypertension in a diabetic population (60.2%) and a nephropathy burden of 14.5%.