Author(s)

Dan Sheng, Xianglin Cheng

Department of Neurology, the Clinical Medicine School of Yangtze University, the First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze.

Objectives: There is a high rate of sudden death in epilepsy patients, part of which is sudden cardiac death. By investigating ECG T wave alternans and Q-T dispersion changes of epilepsy patients, we may predict the possibility of the occurrence of sudden death and provide basis for clinical prevention. Methods: Selecting 587 cases of epilepsy patients as the study group, 672 same period cases of healthy persons as the control group; Analyzing the effect of epilepsy on ECG T wave alternans and Q-T dispersion with the standard 12 lead ECG. Results: The study group had a significantly prolonged Q-T dispersion and an increased incidence of T wave alternans than that of the control group; Compared with other seizure types, tonic clonic seizure and absence seizure had a significantly prolonged Q-T dispersion and an increased occurrence rate of T wave alternans. Conclusions: Epilepsy patients ECG T wave alternans and Q-T dispersion has higher abnormal rate, and are prone to sudden cardiac death; Routine ECG(RECG) T wave alternans and Q-T dispersion changes can provide guidance for clinical prevention of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).

Epilepsy, T Wave Alternans, Q-T Dispersion

Sheng, D. and Cheng, X. (2017) Analysis of the Q-T Dispersion and T Wave Alternans in Patients with Epilepsy. Yangtze Medicine, 1, 109-116. doi: 10.4236/ym.2017.12011.