Assessment of electrocardiographic parameters in patients with electrocution injury.

BACKGROUND: Electrocution injury (EI) is a major problem in developing countries. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of EI on electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters.

METHODS: A total of 43 patients hospitalized with diagnosis of EI were prospectively enrolled. Admission ECGs were compared with follow-up ECGs obtained one month after the event.

RESULTS: Maximum P wave duration (Pmax), minimum P wave duration (Pmin), P wave dispersion (PWD), PR interval, QRS complex duration, corrected QT duration (QTc), QT dispersion (QTD), T peak to T end (Tp-e) interval were longer and Tp-e interval/QT and Tp-e interval/QTc ratios were higher on admission ECGs compared to follow-up ECGs. Frontal QRS-T angle and frequency of patients with fragmented QRS were also higher on admission ECGs.

CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that EI causes significant deterioration of admission ECG parameters. The clinical use of these parameters in prediction of arrhythmias after EI warrants further studies.