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QTc prolongation in methadone maintenance - the role of HCV infection


Gholami, Najibulah; Boesch, Lukas; Falcato, Luis; Stohler, Rudolf; Bruggmann, Philip (2013). QTc prolongation in methadone maintenance - the role of HCV infection. Swiss Medical Weekly, 143:w13852.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Several studies have reported prolonged QTc intervals in patients under methadone maintenance treatment, including development of torsade-de-pointes arrhythmia and death. It is still not clear why some patients develop critical QTc extensions while others do not.
METHODS: ECG findings in a convenience sample of 210 methadone-maintained heroin-dependent patients, taking HCV-infection status and methadone dosage into account simultaneously by means of a multiple linear regression model with QTc-interval as the dependent variable.
RESULTS: Prolonged QTc-time is associated with hepatitis C infections (p = 0.005) and higher doses of racemic methadone (p = 0.012).
CONCLUSION: Infection with hepatitis C increases the likelihood of critical QTc prolongation in patients in methadone maintenance treatment.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Several studies have reported prolonged QTc intervals in patients under methadone maintenance treatment, including development of torsade-de-pointes arrhythmia and death. It is still not clear why some patients develop critical QTc extensions while others do not.
METHODS: ECG findings in a convenience sample of 210 methadone-maintained heroin-dependent patients, taking HCV-infection status and methadone dosage into account simultaneously by means of a multiple linear regression model with QTc-interval as the dependent variable.
RESULTS: Prolonged QTc-time is associated with hepatitis C infections (p = 0.005) and higher doses of racemic methadone (p = 0.012).
CONCLUSION: Infection with hepatitis C increases the likelihood of critical QTc prolongation in patients in methadone maintenance treatment.

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Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:04 Faculty of Medicine > Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich > Clinic for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics
Dewey Decimal Classification:610 Medicine & health
Scopus Subject Areas:Health Sciences > General Medicine
Language:English
Date:6 September 2013
Deposited On:29 Jan 2014 11:50
Last Modified:18 Mar 2020 23:47
Publisher:EMH Swiss Medical Publishers
ISSN:0036-7672
OA Status:Gold
Free access at:Publisher DOI. An embargo period may apply.
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2013.13852
PubMed ID:24018830

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