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OBSTETRIC ANESTHESIA

The Effects of Spinal Anesthesia on QT Interval in Preeclamptic Patients

Selda Sen, MD^*, Galip Ozmert, MD, Hakan Turan, MD, Eray Caliskan, MD, Alper Onbasili, MD, and Duran Kaya, MD

From the Departments of *Anaesthesiology and Cardiology, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey; Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, SSK Ankara Maternity and Women's Health Teaching Hospital; and Department of Internal Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Selda Sen, MD, Adnan Menderes Üniversitesi Tp Fakültesi, Anesteziyoloji ve Reanimasyon A.D., 09100 Aydin, Turkey. Address e-mail to drseldasen{at}yahoo.com.

In this study, we measured the effects of spinal anesthesia on the corrected QT (QTc) interval in women with severe preeclampsia. Twenty-five preeclamptic (preeclamptic group) and 25 healthy pregnant women with normal arterial blood pressure and QTc interval (control group) were enrolled in this prospective, case-controlled study. Arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and QTc interval values were obtained before (baseline value) and at 5, 10, 20, 30, 60, and 120 min after initiation of spinal anesthesia. Total ephedrine dose, time elapsed until sensory block, and Apgar scores were recorded. Prior to spinal anesthesia, QTc interval values were significantly higher in the preeclamptic group (452 ± 17.5 ms) when compared with that in controls (376 ± 21.4 ms). Although the QTc interval shortened during spinal anesthesia when compared with baseline value in the preeclamptic group (P < 0.05), it showed no significant change in the control group. In conclusion, the QTc interval may be prolonged in severe preeclamptic patients who have hypertension and hypocalcemia. Spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery may normalize that prolonged QTc interval due to sympathetic blockade.

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