First Evaluation of P Dispersion and Tp-e Parameters in Electrocardiograms of Children with Diabetic Ketoacidosis

INTRODUCTION: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an important complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus. We aimed to evaluate the effect of metabolic disorders of DKA on electrocardiography (ECG) parameters in children.
METHODS: This study was performed between December 2018 and March 2020 and included 39 children with DKA and 40 healthy children. Three ECGs (one before and two after treatment) were obtained from the patient group. P-wave dispersion (Pd), QT dispersion (QTd), QTc dispersion (QTcd), Tp-e intervals, and the ratios of Tp-e/QT and Tp-e/QTc were measured electrocardiographically. ECG parameters from children with DKA and healthy controls were compared statistically.
RESULTS: The mean age of the patient group was 10.50±4.12 years. There was no significant difference in terms of age, gender, weight, height and body mass index between patients and controls. In the patient group, a statistically significant increase was found in Pd, QTd and QTcd in the initial ECG compared to the second and third ECGs. Also, when the first and third ECGs were compared, a significant increase in Tp-e and Tp-e/QT was evident in the first ECG. There was a significant difference in the values of Pd, QTd, QTcd, Tp-e and Tp-e/QT in the first ECGs, obtained before DKA treatment, and those values obtained from the control group.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This is the first article evaluating Pd and Tp-e parameters in children with DKA. Cardiac arrhythmia risk markers were increased in children with DKA compared to controls. Therefore, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of developing new arrhythmias during DKA treatment.