Toluene Inhalant Addiction and Cardiac Functions in Young Adults: A Comparison of Electrocardiographic and Echocardiographic Parameters

Abstract

Background

Volatile substance (thinner) addiction can cause serious cardiac events, such as malignant ventricular arrhythmias, acute coronary syndromes, sudden death syndrome, and dilated cardiomyopathy, as reported in many case studies. We aimed to find echocardiographic and electrocardiographic parameters that could foresee these adverse outcomes in clinical settings.

Methods

We enrolled 32 healthy young adult patients with at least 1 year of thinner addiction and no cardiac symptoms. We also recruited a control group of 30 healthy individuals without any medical problems. Both groups received standard echocardiography and ECG tests. We analyzed the following echocardiographic parameters: LVEDd (left ventricular end-diastolic diameter), LVESd (left ventricular end-systolic diameter), mitral valve EF slope, E/A ratio, and aortic and pulmonary valve VTI (velocity time integral). We also measured the corrected (QTc), uncorrected QT intervals, and widest P-wave values in the ECG. We used the SPSS 13 software for statistical analysis.

Results

The echocardiographic findings did not differ significantly between the groups. However, the ECG results showed that the thinner addicts had higher values of corrected (QTc), uncorrected QT intervals, and widest P-wave values than the control group, according to Mann–Whitney U and Student's T test.

Conclusion

Corrected QT (QTc) and P-wave duration are increased in individuals with a thinner addiction. These findings may suggest a higher risk of sudden cardiac death, atrial, and ventricular dysrhythmias in the future.