Abstract: Approximately 60% of all cardiac deaths in patients on dialysis are due to sudden death. Prolonged QT interval and arterial calcification have been associated with morbidity and mortality in different patient populations including patients with renal failure. Limited data exist on the presence of an association of QT duration and arterial calcification.

Methods: We evaluated the association of vascular calcification with corrected QT and JT interval duration in renal transplant candidates in a single center cross-sectional study at time of renal transplantation. Patients taking QT-prolonging agents or with conduction abnormalities were excluded. Aortic calcifications were evaluated by means of a previously validated scoring system on lumbar X-ray. 193 patients (118 men, 52 years old) were included in the final analysis.

Results: We found that 26% of patients had a prolonged QT-interval. Multivariate analyses showed that QTc and JTc interval duration significantly correlated with the extent of aortic calcifications (p=0.0004; p=0.005 respectively). In the female patient population the presence of a prolonged QTc and JTc interval was a predictor of arterial calcification.

Conclusion: The presence of a prolonged QT duration is associated with aortic calcification independent of age, gender, cardiovascular history, electrolytes and parameters of mineral metabolism.