QTc interval prolongation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus treated with hydroxychloroquine.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

The primary objective is to reveal the effect of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) treatment on corrected QT (QTc) interval in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The secondary objective is to investigate factors that affect QTc prolongation.

METHODS:

SLE patients who had electrocardiograms between 2015 and 2020 were recruited and assigned to two groups based on whether they were treated with HCQ (HCQ group) or not (control group). Change of QTc before and after HCQ administration in the HCQ group was measured and compared with the control group. Patients treated with HCQ were further divided into two groups based on presence or absence of QTc prolongation and the characteristics were compared.

RESULTS:

In total, 126 patients were recruited, of whom 42 were treated with HCQ. In the HCQ group, the mean QTc significantly increased (p < .001), while there was no significant difference of mean QTc in the control group. Moreover, those in the HCQ group with QTc prolongation showed a significantly higher proportion of hypertension and longer SLE duration compared to those without QTc prolongation. However, the multiple logistic regression analysis showed that there were no significant differences among them.

CONCLUSION:

HCQ could induce QTc prolongation in SLE patients. It might be better that the possibility of QTc prolongation was taken into consideration when HCQ was administered in the patients with longer disease duration of SLE and coincidence of hypertension.

• Authors: Taihei Nishiyama, Yuya Kondo, Hiroto Tsuboi, Hisashi Noma, Daiki Tabuchi, Toshiki Sugita, Shota Okamoto, Toshihiko Terasaki, Masaru Shimizu, Fumika Honda, Ayako Ohyama, Izumi Kurata, Mizuki Yagishita, Saori Abe, Hiroyuki Takahashi, Atsumu Osada, Shinya Hagiwara, Isao Matsumoto, Takayuki Sumida
• Journal: Modern rheumatology (Mod Rheumatol) Vol. 31 Issue 6 Pg. 1107-1112 (Nov 2021) ISSN: 1439-7609 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 33496215 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antirheumatic Agents
• Hydroxychloroquine

Topics

• Antirheumatic Agents (adverse effects)
• Electrocardiography
• Humans
• Hydroxychloroquine (adverse effects)
• Long QT Syndrome (chemically induced, diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic (complications, drug therapy)