Student Presenter(s): Denis Malkov, Anisa Raidah, Casey Sciandra, Lara Tong
Faculty Mentor: Todd J. Cohen
Department: Clinical Sciences
School/College: College of Osteopathic Medicine, Long Island

Patients at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome/Hypermobility Treatment Center that were referred for cardiac evaluation were the subjects of this study. Patients were classified as either EDS or HSD by the center’s hypermobility specialist and became part of the patient registry with these conditions. PR, QRS, QT, QTc intervals, and heart rates were collected from 12-lead ECGs and analyzed for significant differences using an unpaired Student’s t-test. The P-value of 0.05 was statistically significant. Medications taken at the time of the ECG reading were also noted.

There were 35 hypermobile patients and 35 controls, that were age- and sex-matched. The data analysis of the ECG measurements for significant differences between the groups produced the following p-values: PR interval-0.11, QRS interval-0.21, QT interval-0.56, QTc interval-0.10, heart rate-0.17. There were no statistically significant differences in the ECG intervals and heart rates between the two groups.

This study compared 12-lead ECG QT/QTc intervals between hypermobile (EDS and HSD) and non-hypermobile patients that presented with cardiac manifestations. Concurrent medications were considered as the cause for ECG variations as well. This study failed to demonstrate any significant difference in ECG intervals between the two groups. Additional research is necessary to fully understand the mechanisms of palpitations, presyncope, and syncope in these two groups.