Cardiogoniometry in psoriatic patients and its comparison with a control group

BACKGROUND: Cardiogoniometry (CGM), a spatiotemporal electrocardiologic method may be useful as a cardiovascular diagnostic tool. Increased incidence of coronary artery or myocardial involvement and defects in automatic setting of heart activity have been reported in psoriasis which could be related to the presence of systemic inflammation. Cardiogoniometry and the related parameters have been used in this study as a diagnostic technique in psoriasis patients. METHODS: Thirty patients with psoriasis and 30 healthy, age and sex-matched individuals with no history of cardiovascular diseases or traditional coronary risk factors were enrolled. Duration and severity of the disease, using psoriasis severity and area index (PASI) score were recorded. Electrocardiography and cardiogoniometry were performed. Heart rate, QT interval and QT dispersion (QTD) were measured. SDNN (standard deviation of normal R-R interval) and myocardial ischemia score were determined by cardiogoniometry. RESULTS: There was significant difference between the psoriasis patients and the controls in terms of heart rate (76.37 ± 14.41 vs 72.53 ± 9.684, p = 0.02), myocardial ischemia score (−1.53 ± 2.63 vs −0.46 ± 0.73, p = 0.037), corrected QT interval (392.64 ± 26.00 vs 377.26 ± 22.34, p = 0.017) and QTD (32.00 ± 17.88 vs 6.67 ± 15.16, p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found in SDNN (36.37 ± 21.01 vs 26.90 ± 14.88, p = .29). There were moderate correlation between PASI and SDNN (r = 0.427, p = 0.009), heart rate (r = 0.427, p = .009) and score (r = 0.481, p = .004). CONCLUSION: Abnormalities in resting ECG and CGM and their correlation with disease severity raises concerns about the need for cardiovascular follow-ups of psoriatic patients, especially those with severe disease.