The association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and corrected QT interval prolongation among generally healthy Iranian population: Fasa Cohort Study (FACS)

  1. Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  2. The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
  3. Elderly Health Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  4. Diabetes Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  5. Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  6. Osteoporosis Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  7. The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.

Abstract

Background: There are limited studies about the association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and corrected QT interval (QTc) prolongation worldwide.

Hypothesis: Therefore, we designed the current study to determine this association in a large cohort of a generally healthy population.

Methods: We analyzed the data of 4603 individuals aged 35-70 who participated in the Fasa Cohort Study (FACS). Based on 12-lead electrocardiograms, QT intervals were calculated and corrected by Bazzet’s formula. A QTc interval of more than 430 ms in men and 450 ms in women was considered prolonged. The Fatty Liver Index was used to identify the participants with NAFLD.

Results: Of all participants, 1550 (33.6%) met the NAFLD criteria. In subjects of both genders with NAFLD, the mean values of the QTc interval were considerably higher than in those without NAFLD (p < .001). After adjusting for a wide range of confounders, including age, gender, smoking status, physical activity, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, diabetes, and hypertension status, in linear regression analysis, the standardized β coefficient of QTc interval among participants with NAFLD was 2.56 ms (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.49-4.64). After controlling the same confounders, the odds ratio of NAFLD for a prolonged QTc interval in men was 1.47 (95% CI: 1.18-1.84; p < .001) and in women was 1.39 (95% CI: 1.15-1.68; p < .001) using logistic regression analysis.

Conclusions: NAFLD was a risk factor for QTc interval prolongation. Awareness about the risk of NAFLD in increasing the potential cardiac arrhythmias should be raised to lower cardiac mortality.

Keywords: QTc interval prolongation; cardiovascular mortality; general healthy Iranian population; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

How to Cite

Naderi A, Farjam M, Mojarrad Sani M, Abdollahi A, Alkamel A, Keshavarzian O, Tabrizi R. The association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and corrected QT interval prolongation among generally healthy Iranian population: Fasa Cohort Study (FACS). Clin Cardiol. 2023 Jun;46(6):615-621. doi: 10.1002/clc.24015. Epub 2023 Apr 4. PMID: 37016545; PMCID: PMC10270276.