Autonomic dysregulation in the depressive spectrum: Role of dQT evaluation in the depressive disorders as index of cardiological risk [Disfunzione autonomica nello spettro depressivo: Ruolo della valutazione del dQT nei disturbi depressivi quale indice di rischio cardiologico]

Introduction. The clear correlation between depression and coronary heart disease has been confirmed in many epidemiologic studies. Patients affected by Major Depression show more frequently a parasympathetic tone's decrease and a sympathetic modulation's increase in comparison of the non depressed subjects and have also a higher risk of ventricular arhythmias. The tone's decrease, in these studies, has been mainly measured through the reduce of the HRV (Heart Rate Variability); however, recently some Authors have proposed the use of the dQT valuation (difference between a longer QT interval and a shorter QT interval, effected by using the ECG of surface) as an indicator of cardiac risk in depressed patients, since it's consideration as an indicator of dyshomogeousity in the ventricular repolarization. Aim. The aim of the present study is to measure the dQT in patients affected by Major Depression or by other depressive disorder in order to evaluate the existence of significant differences between the dQT of these subjects and non affected by depressive pathologies. Conclusion. dQT's middle value, in the group of "other depressive disorders" results higher in comparison of the group "Major Depression" as well as the control group. This difference results being statistically significant.