Possible relationship between hydroxychloroquine and electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases––a monocentric study
Authors' conclusion
No association was found between changes in ECG and echocardiogram in patients under HCQ, which remains a safe drug in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases.
Study context
- Population
- Patients aged ≥18 years with inflammatory rheumatic disease undergoing electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram75 (93.8%) female
- Participants
- 80 patients
- Exposure
- Inflammatory rheumatic disease currently exposed vs not exposed to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)
- Outcome
- Prevalence and development of cardiac adverse events (ECG and echocardiography changes)
Methodological detailsmonocentric, logistic regression
- Monocentric
- Logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Predictors of echocardiography changes
Odds ratio (95% CI)P value
HCQ cumulative dose
1.001(1.000–1.002)
P = 0.033HCQ exposure time
1.136(1.000–1.289)
P = 0.049Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Predictors of echocardiography changes (logistic regression)
| OR (95% CI) | P value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Exposure time | 1.136 (1.000–1.289) | P = 0.049 | |
| 0.512Odds ratio (log scale) |
| Outcome | Values | P value |
|---|---|---|
| Hypertension by ECG changesECG changes vs No ECG changes | ECG changes 40.6% · No ECG changes 12.5% | P = 0.004 |
| Potassium levels by ECG changesECG changes vs No ECG changes | ECG changes median 4.5 (unnamed spread as printed 4.1–4.8) · No ECG changes median 4.2 (unnamed spread as printed 4.0–4.4) | P = 0.023 |
| Age by echocardiography changesEchocardiography changes vs No echocardiography changes | Echocardiography changes 59 ± 11 years · No echocardiography changes 50 ± 13 years | P = 0.003 |
| HCQ cumulative dose by echocardiography changesEchocardiography changes vs No echocardiography changes | Echocardiography changes 1752 (unnamed spread as printed 785–2190) g · No echocardiography changes 438 (unnamed spread as printed 328–1022) g | P = 0.008 |
| Time of exposure to HCQ by echocardiography changesEchocardiography changes vs No echocardiography changes | Echocardiography changes 12 (unnamed spread as printed 6–15) years · No echocardiography changes 4 (unnamed spread as printed 2–9) years | P = 0.028 |
Predictors of echocardiography changes (logistic regression)
- When adjusted for age, neither HCQ cumulative dose nor exposure time were predictors of echocardiography changes
Original publication
Possible relationship between hydroxychloroquine and electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases––a monocentric study. Lupus. Published 4 January 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →