Brugada Syndrome ECG Is Highly Prevalent in Schizophrenia

Background The causes of increased risk of sudden cardiac death in schizophrenia are not resolved. We aimed to establish (1) whether ECG markers of sudden cardiac death risk, in particular Brugada-ECG pattern, are more prevalent among patients with schizophrenia, and (2) whether increased prevalence of these ECG markers in schizophrenia is explained by confounding factors, notably sodium channel-blocking medication. Methods and Results In a cross-sectional study, we analyzed ECGs of a cohort of 275 patients with schizophrenia, along with medication use. We determined whether Brugada-ECG was present and assessed standard ECG measures (heart rate, PQ-, QRS-, and QT-intervals). We compared the findings with nonschizophrenic individuals of comparable age (the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety [NESDA] cohort; N=179) and, to account for assumed increased aging rate in schizophrenia, with individuals 20 years older (Hoorn cohort; n=1168), using multivariate regression models. Brugada-ECG was significantly more prevalent in the schizophrenia cohort (11.6%) compared with NESDA controls (1.1%) or Hoorn controls (2.4%). Moreover, patients with schizophrenia had longer QT-intervals (410.9 versus 393.1 and 401.9 ms; both P<0.05), increased proportion of mild or severe QTc prolongation (13.1% and 5.8% versus 3.4% and 0.0% [NESDA], versus 5.1 and 2.8% [Hoorn]), and higher heart rates (80.8 versus 61.7 and 68.0 beats per minute; both P<0.05). The prevalence of Brugada-ECG was still increased (9.6%) when patients with schizophrenia without sodium channel-blocking medication were compared with either of the control cohorts. Conclusions Brugada-ECG has increased prevalence among patients with schizophrenia. This association is not explained by the use of sodium channel-blocking medication.