QT dispersion in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia is a rarely diagnosed cardiomyopathy, but a frequent cause of ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. QT interval dispersion, measured as an interlead variability of QT, is a marker of dispersion of ventricular repolarization and, hence, of electrical instability. The present study was conducted to assess the occurrence of QT dispersion and its modulation during treatment with sotalol. Methods Twenty-five patients with the diagnosis of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia were studied retrospectively. Fourteen patients were considered low risk for malignant ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death, and 11 high risk due to documented sustained ventricular arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, or sudden cardiac death. Twenty five healthy volunteers served as control subjects.