Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30584028›Full record

ArticleGlobal heart2019

Population Prevalence and Correlates of Prolonged QT Interval: Cross-Sectional, Population-Based Study From Rural Uganda.

Itai M Magodoro, Alfred J Albano, Rahul Muthalaly, Bruce Koplan, Crystal M North, Dagmar Vořechovská, Jordan Downey, John Kraemer, Martino Vaglio, Fabio Badilini and 3 more

Open access · hybridAbstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Global heart, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 29% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Cardiac abnormalities induced by benzene exposure from the flaring disaster at the BP refinery plant in Texas City.International journal of occupational medicine and environmental health · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. QTc Interval of Healthcare Workers from India: Baseline and Effect of Hydroxychloroquine Prophylaxis during the COVID-19 Pandemic.Indian journal of community medicine : official publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 9 institutions in 3 countries.

Itai M MagodoroHarvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: Itai_Magodoro@hms.harvard.edu.
Alfred J AlbanoMichigan State University School of Medicine, East Lansing, MI, USA.
Rahul MuthalalyHarvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Arrhythmia Service, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Bruce KoplanHarvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Arrhythmia Service, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Crystal M NorthHarvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Dagmar VořechovskáMassachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Jordan DowneyJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
John KraemerDepartment of Health Systems Administration, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
Martino VaglioAnalyzing Medical Parameters for Solutions, LLC, New York, NY, USA.
Fabio BadiliniAnalyzing Medical Parameters for Solutions, LLC, New York, NY, USA.
Bernard KakuhireMbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.
Alexander C TsaiHarvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Analyzing Medical Parameters for Solutions, LLC, New York, NY, USA.
Mark J SiednerHarvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda; Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Massachusetts General Hospital · USMedidata (United States) · USBrigham and Women's Hospital · USGeorgetown University · USHarvard University · USJohns Hopkins University · USMbarara University of Science and Technology · UGMichigan State University · USUniversity of Cape Town · ZA

Funding

The impact of HIV viral diversity and cellular immunity on HIV pathogenesisP30AI060354 · NIAID · HARVARD UNIVERSITY (MEDICAL SCHOOL) · PI Daniel Lingwood · 2004 to 2026
$94.4M
Partnership for Global Health Research Training Program (Renewal)-Supplement for OBSSR, NCI, NCI-AIDS and NIDCDD43TW010543 · FIC · HARVARD UNIVERSITY D/B/A HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH · PI Wafaie W Fawzi, DAVIDSON HOWES HAMER · 2017 to 2026
$12.1M
Social Networks, HIV Stigma, and the HIV Care Cascade in Rural UgandaR01MH113494 · NIMH · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI TSAI, ALEXANDER C · 2017 to 2021
$3.2M
Behavioral Aspects of Low-cost Medical Devices to Improve HIV CareK23MH099916 · NIMH · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI SIEDNER, MARK J · 2013 to 2017
$917k
Epidemiology of atherosclerosis among older-age individuals with HIV in UgandaR21HL124712 · NHLBI · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI SIEDNER, MARK J · 2014 to 2015
$332k
FIC NIH HHS D43 TW010543NHLBI NIH HHS R21 HL124712NIAID NIH HHS P30 AI060354NIMH NIH HHS K23 MH099916NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH113494
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesWe aimed to estimate the prevalence and correlates of QT interval prolongation in rural Uganda.

backgroundMajor electrocardiographic abnormalities, including prolonged QT interval, have been shown to be independently predictive of adverse cardiovascular events among Western populations. Cardiovascular diseases are on the rise in sub-Saharan Africa with poorly characterized context-specific risk factors. An important question is whether ECG screening might have value in cardiovascular disease risk stratification in SSA.

methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey in a sample of adults participating in an ongoing whole-population cohort in Mbarara, Uganda, in 2015. Of 1,814 subjects enrolled in the parent whole-population cohort, 856 (47%) participated in the study. Participants completed 12-lead electrocardiography and cardiovascular disease risk factors assessment. We summarized sex-specific, heart rate variation-adjusted QT (QTa) defining prolonged QTa as >460 ms in women and >450 ms in men. We fit linear and logistic regression models to estimate correlates of (continuous) QTa interval length and (dichotomous) prolonged QTa. Models included inverse probability of sampling weights to generate population-level estimates accounting for study nonparticipation.

resultsWe assessed data from 828 participants with electrocardiograms. The weighted population mean age was 38.4 years (95% confidence interval: 36.3-40.4). The weighted population was 50.4% female, 11.5% had elevated blood pressure, and 57.6% had a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein >1 mg/dl. The population mean QTa was 409.1 ms (95% confidence interval: 405.1-413.1), and 10.3% (95% confidence interval: 7.8-13.5) met criteria for prolonged QTa. Women had a higher mean QTa (421.6 ms vs. 396.3 ms; p < 0.001), and a higher proportion of women had a prolonged QTa (14.0% vs. 9.3%; p = 0.122) than did men. In multivariable-adjusted regression models, female sex and hypertension correlated with higher mean QTa and meeting criteria for prolonged QTa, respectively.

conclusionsQT interval prolongation is highly prevalent in rural Uganda and may be more common than in high-income settings. Female sex, age, and high blood pressure correlated with QT interval prolongation. Future work should assess whether genetic predisposition or environmental factors in sub-Saharan African populations contribute to prolonged QT and clarify consequences.

Indexed as

ElectrocardiographyRural PopulationAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHeart RateHumansLong QT SyndromeMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceRetrospective StudiesRisk AssessmentRisk FactorsUganda

Identifiers

PMID30584028
PMCPMC6737252
OpenAlexW2906506742

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.