Jiménez-Jáimez, JuanMacías-Ruiz, RosaBermúdez-Jiménez, FranciscoRubini-Costa, RicardoRamírez-Taboada, JessicaGarcía Flores, Paula IsabelGallo-Padilla, LauraMediavilla García, Juan DiegoMorales García, ConcepciónMoreno Suárez, SaraFignani Molina, CeliaÁlvarez López, MiguelTercedor, Luis2022-01-312022-01-312020-12-08Jiménez-Jáimez J, Macías-Ruiz R, Bermúdez-Jiménez F, Rubini-Costa R, Ramírez-Taboada J, García Flores PI, et al. Absence of relevant QT interval prolongation in not critically ill COVID-19 patients. Sci Rep 10, 21417 (2020).http://hdl.handle.net/10668/3445SARS-CoV-2 is a rapidly evolving pandemic causing great morbimortality. Medical therapy with hydroxicloroquine, azitromycin and protease inhibitors is being empirically used, with reported data of QTc interval prolongation. Our aim is to assess QT interval behaviour in a not critically ill and not monitored cohort of patients. We evaluated admitted and ambulatory patients with COVID-19 patients with 12 lead electrocardiogram at 48 h after treatment initiation. Other clinical and analytical variables were collected. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the magnitude of the QT interval prolongation under treatment and to identify clinical, analytical and electrocardiographic risk markers of QT prolongation independent predictors. We included 219 patients (mean age of 63.6 ± 17.4 years, 48.9% were women and 16.4% were outpatients. The median baseline QTc was 416 ms (IQR 404-433), and after treatment QTc was prolonged to 423 ms (405-438) (P < 0.001), with an average increase of 1.8%. Most of the patients presented a normal QTc under treatment, with only 31 cases (14.1%) showing a QTc interval > 460 ms, and just one case with QTc > 500 ms. Advanced age, longer QTc basal at the basal ECG and lower potassium levels were independent predictors of QTc interval prolongation. Ambulatory and not critically ill patients with COVID-19 treated with hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin and/or antiretrovirals develop a significant, but not relevant, QT interval prolongation.8 p.enAtribución 4.0 InternacionalAtribución 4.0 InternacionalAtribución 4.0 Internacionalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/COVID-19Anti-bacterial agentsAntimalarialsAzithromycinDrug therapy, combinationAntiviral agentsFarmacorresistencia bacterianaAntimaláricosAzitromicinaQuimioterapia combinadaAntiviralesFactores de riesgoMedical Subject Headings::Persons::Persons::Age Groups::AdultMedical Subject Headings::Persons::Persons::Age Groups::Adult::AgedMedical Subject Headings::Persons::Persons::Age Groups::Adult::Aged::Aged, 80 and overAnti-Bacterial AgentsMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Chemical Actions and Uses::Pharmacologic Actions::Therapeutic Uses::Anti-Infective Agents::Antiparasitic Agents::Antiprotozoal Agents::AntimalarialsMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Chemical Actions and Uses::Pharmacologic Actions::Therapeutic Uses::Anti-Infective Agents::Antiviral AgentsMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Organic Chemicals::Lactones::Macrolides::Erythromycin::AzithromycinMedical Subject Headings::Diseases::Virus Diseases::RNA Virus Infections::Nidovirales Infections::Coronaviridae Infections::Coronavirus InfectionsMedical Subject Headings::Diseases::Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms::Pathologic Processes::Disease Attributes::Critical IllnessMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Therapeutics::Drug Therapy::Drug Therapy, CombinationMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Diagnosis::Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures::Diagnostic Techniques, Cardiovascular::Heart Function Tests::ElectrocardiographyMedical Subject Headings::Check Tags::FemaleMedical Subject Headings::Organisms::Eukaryota::Animals::Chordata::Vertebrates::Mammals::Primates::Haplorhini::Catarrhini::Hominidae::HumansMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Heterocyclic Compounds::Heterocyclic Compounds, 2-Ring::Quinolines::Aminoquinolines::Chloroquine::HydroxychloroquineMedical Subject Headings::Diseases::Cardiovascular Diseases::Heart Diseases::Arrhythmias, Cardiac::Long QT SyndromeMedical Subject Headings::Check Tags::MaleMedical Subject Headings::Persons::Persons::Age Groups::Adult::Middle AgedMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Polycyclic Compounds::Bridged Compounds::Bicyclo Compounds::Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic::Azabicyclo Compounds::beta-Lactams::Penicillins::Penicillin G::Ampicillin::Amoxicillin::Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate CombinationMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Chemical Actions and Uses::Pharmacologic Actions::Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action::Enzyme Inhibitors::Protease InhibitorsMedical Subject Headings::Health Care::Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation::Quality of Health Care::Epidemiologic Factors::Causality::Risk FactorsMedical Subject Headings::Diseases::Cardiovascular Diseases::Heart Diseases::Arrhythmias, Cardiac::Ventricular FibrillationMedical Subject Headings::Persons::Persons::Age Groups::Adult::Young Adultresearch article33293554open access10.1038/s41598-020-78360-92045-2322PMC7722753