SQTS

There is controversy whether short QT intervals are associated with sudden death. One trial found QTc intervals < 300ms to be associated with sudden death.[1] However, a recent Finnish study in a random selection of healthy subjects (n=10 822) did not find an increased incidence of sudden death in patients with short QTc intervals. They defined QTc < 320ms as 'very short' and QTc < 340ms as 'short'. In total, 15 deaths occured in the group with QTc <340ms, with only one possible sudden death (cause of death unknown). They used Friderica's method for QTc correction: File:Fridericia.png.[2] They conclude that the ECG is not a good screening tool to find patients with a short QTc interval at risk of sudden death.[3]

File:Sqts.svg

Precordial ECG tracings of a patient with SQTS

References

Error fetching PMID 14954534:
Error fetching PMID 12925462:
Error fetching PMID 17679619:

2. Fridericia LS. Die Systolendauer im Elektrokardiogramm bei normalen

   Menschen und bei Herzkranken. Acta Med Scand. 1920;53:469–486.

4. Bazett HC. An analysis of the time-relations of electrocardiograms. Heart 1920;7:353-370.