QT-prolongation as an indicator of complications in malaria

Introduction: There has always been a search for marker for predicting the complications of malaria. Electrocardiography (ECG) is a simple, easily available investigation, and QT-prolongation on ECG is a known marker of severity in many diseases. Aim: This study aimed to assess the association between QT interval prolongation and complications in malaria. Materials and Methods: This retrospective record-based study included 92 patients diagnosed with malaria by smear and was conducted from January to December 2013. The normal-corrected QT interval (QTC) was taken as 0.44 s (440 ms). Data were analyzed for association using Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Mean QTC of the study group was 413.08 ± 34.8 ms. A total of 12 patients had QTC >440 ms, of them 10 had associated complications. Among 80 patients with normal QTC, 17 had complications associated with P