The Association of Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome with Ventricular Repolarization Dynamics

Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX), an extracellular matrix disorder, is associated with an increased risk of heart diseases, including coronary arterial disease, myocardial ischemia, and arrhythmia. Ventricular repolarization abnormalities can be an indicator of these diseases. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate ventricular repolarization in patients with PEX by using noninvasive parameters. This prospective case-control study consisted of 32 patients with PEX and 32 controls without PEX. The diagnosis of PEX was made during a slit lamp ophthalmic examination upon the finding of white amyloid-like exfoliation material on the anterior capsule of the crystalline lens or iris. The QT dispersion (QTd), Tp-e interval, and Tp-e/QT ratio were measured from a 12-lead electrocardiogram. The Student’s t-test and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. QTd was significantly increased in patients with PEX compared to the controls (42±17 vs. 25±15 ms, P < 0.001, respectively). The Tp-e/QT ratio was also significantly higher in patients with PEX (0.22±0.03 vs. 0.20±0.02, P = .021). There was no significant difference between the groups with respect to the Tp-e interval (90±13 ms vs. 85±10 ms, P = .119). Our study revealed that QTd and the Tp-e/QT ratio were increased in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome.