In this first clinical report of an idiopathic familial persistently short QT interval (QTI), we describe three members of one family (a 17-year-old female, her 21-year-old brother, and their 51-year-old mother) demonstrating this ECG phenomenon, associated in the 17-year-old with several episodes of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation requiring electrical cardioversion. Similar ECG changes seen in an unrelated 37-year-old patient were associated with sudden cardiac death. Our report also describes other manifestations of abnormal shortening of the QTI and considers the possible arrhythmogenic potential of the short QTI.
Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel