Influence of exercise on QT dispersion in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy without coronary artery disease

In hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), the influence of exercise on the regional variations in ventricular repolarization is not well understood. The present study compared dispersions of QT and QT apex (QTD and QTaD), which are indices of regional variations in ventricular repolarization, between hypertensive patients with echocardiographic evidence of LVH and those without LVH. Seventy essential hypertensive patients underwent a modified Bruce protocol exercise test, and QTD and QTaD were measured at rest and at peak exercise level. All subjects had undergone coronary angiography and did not have coronary artery disease. None of them showed ST-segment depression during or after exercise. There were 20 patients with LVH and 50 patients without LVH. The QTD and QTaD at rest were not different between the patients with LVH and those without LVH (56 +/- 32 vs 57 +/- 28 ms, 52 +/- 20 vs 49 +/- 23 ms). At peak exercise level, QTaD was significantly decreased compared with the baseline in hypertensive patients without LVH (49 +/- 23 to 42 +/- 16 ms, p < 0.05), whereas in patients with LVH QTaD increased (52 +/- 20 to 67 +/- 17 ms, p < 0.05). QTaD at peak exercise level was positively correlated with the left ventricular mass index (r = 0.357, p = 0.0024). These data were unchanged after correction for heart rate using Bazett's equation. In conclusion, QTaD increased after exercise in hypertensive patients with LVH. Inhomogeneity of repolarization is induced by exercise stress in hypertensives with LVH.