Effect of spinal anesthesia on the QT interval in term and post-term pregnancies scheduled for elective cesarean section: a prospective study

• Published in: The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine 2020-09, Vol.33 (18), p.3147-3151
• Main Authors: Karahan, Mahmut Alp, Incebiyik, Adnan, Buyukfirat, Evren, Altay, Nuray, Binici, Orhan, Besli, Feyzullah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anesthesia; cesarean section; electrocardiography; prolonged pregnancy; spinal
• ISSN: 1476-7058; 1476-4954
• DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2019.1569620

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of spinal anesthesia on the QT interval in patients with term and post-term pregnancy that were scheduled for elective cesarean section. Materials and methods: Forty pregnant women scheduled for elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia were assigned into two groups: Post-term group (Group P) (n = 20) and Term group (Group T) (n = 20). After entering the operation room, standard monitoring [electrocardiography (ECG), noninvasive blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and peripheral oxygen saturation] was performed. The patient was placed in the sitting position and spinal anesthesia was performed with a median approach at the L3-L4a level using a 25G Quincke-type spinal needle. After cerebrospinal fluid was viewed, 12.5 mg (2.5 mL) hyperbaric bupivacaine was administered intrathecally over 1 min. Other ECG records were made at min 1 (T1), 5 (T2), and 10 (T3) after the induction of spinal anesthesia and after skin closure (T4). QT and QT dispersion were measured from ECG. Heart rate-corrected QT (QTc) and QT dispersion (QTcd) values were calculated using the Bazett formula. Results: Demographic characteristics of the patients were similar in both groups. Postoperative QTc, QTd, and QTcd values were significantly increased in Group P compared to those in Group T (p