Elsevier

Heart Rhythm

Volume 17, Issue 11, November 2020, Pages 1930-1935
Heart Rhythm

Clinical
General
Effects of hydroxychloroquine treatment on QT interval

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2020.06.029Get rights and content

Background

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been promoted as a potential treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but there are safety concerns.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of HCQ treatment on QT interval.

Methods

We retrospectively studied the electrocardiograms of 819 patients treated with HCQ for rheumatologic diseases from 2000 to 2020. The primary outcome was corrected QT (QTc) interval, by Bazett formula, during HCQ therapy.

Results

Mean patient age was 64.0 ± 10.9 years, and 734 patients (90%) were men. Median dosage of HCQ was 400 mg daily, and median (25th–75th percentile) duration of HCQ therapy was 1006 (471–2075) days. Mean on-treatment QTc was 430.9 ± 31.8 ms. In total, 55 patients (7%) had QTc 470–500 ms, and 12 (1.5%) had QTc >500 ms. Chronic kidney disease (CKD), history of atrial fibrillation (AF), and heart failure were independent risk factors for prolonged QTc. In a subset of 591 patients who also had a pretreatment electrocardiogram, mean QTc increased from 424.4 ± 29.7 ms to 432.0 ± 32.3 ms (P <.0001) during HCQ treatment. Of these patients, 23 (3.9%) had either prolongation of QTc >15% or on-treatment QTc >500 ms. Over median 5.97 (3.33–10.11) years of follow-up, 269 patients (33%) died. QTc >470 ms during HCQ treatment was associated with a greater mortality risk (hazard ratio 1.78; 95% confidence interval 1.16–2.71; P = .008) in univariable but not in multivariable analysis.

Conclusion

HCQ is associated with QT prolongation in a significant fraction of patients. The risk of QT prolongation is higher among patients with CKD, AF, and heart failure, who may benefit from greater scrutiny.

Keywords

Drug-induced arrhythmia
Drugs
Electrocardiogram
Long QT syndrome
Mortality

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Funding sources: This research did not receive specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commerical, or not-for-profit sectors. Disclosures: Dr Adabag has obtained research grants from the American Heart Association, Medtronic Inc., and Boston Scientific Inc., unrelated to this project. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose. This manuscript is the result of work supported with resources and use of facilities of the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. The contents do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.

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