The role of C-Reactive protein as an inflammatory marker to predict prolonged QTc interval in rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis patients: A case-control study

BACKGROUND: long-term use of anti-tuberculosis drugs (ATD) increases the risk of QTc prolongation, while C-reactive protein (CRP) can be used as an inflammatory marker of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Objective: correlation of CRP on the QTc interval in Rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) patients with the short regimen. METHODS: An observational study was conducted in Rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) patients from 2 groups, patients on intensive phase and patients on continuation phase. CRP levels were measured from blood samples and measured automatically using the immunoturbidimetric assay. QTc interval was calculated using electrocardiography. Levels of CRP levels and QTc interval between the 2 groups were analyzed. The statistical analysis used includes the independent t-test, Mann Whitney test, and Rank Spearman test with p = 0.05. RESULTS: Forty-five eligible RR-TB patients were included in this study. CRP levels and QTc intervals between 2 groups (intensive and continuation phase) showed significant difference with p < 0.001 but found no significant correlation of CRP levels and QTc interval in both intensive and continuation phase with p = 0.226 and 0.805, respectively. A higher level of CRP strongly indicated the inflammation caused by RR-TB infection at the early phase of the disease, but not correlated with QTc interval in RR-TB patients. CONCLUSION: Levels of CRP and QTc interval do not correlate in RR-TB patients and can not be used to be the marker of QTc prolongation in RR-TB Patients.