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Objectives We aimed to observe the relationship of the metabolic syndrome and proarrythmogenic ECG parameters and to evaluate a possible correlation of these parameters to the metabolic syndrome score in patients without overt diabetes mellitus. Methods The study population consisted of 142 patients with the metabolic syndrome and 170 age- and gender-matched control subjects. In the ECG recordings, resting heart rate, QRS duration, corrected QT duration and corrected QT dispersion were measured. Patients were classifi ed into three groups based on number of fulfi lled metabolic syndrome criteria: group 1 (three metabolic syndrome criteria), group 2 (four metabolic syndrome criteria) and group 3 (fi ve metabolic syndrome criteria). Results Patients with the metabolic syndrome had a higher increased resting heart rate, QTcd, prolonged QRS and QTc duration. Resting heart rate increases signifi cantly parallel to the increase in the metabolic syndrome score across the groups, whilst QRS duration remained unchanged. QTc duration and QTc dispersion were signifi cantly higher in groups 2 and 3 when compared to group 1. However, no signifi cant diff erences were observed between groups 2 and 3. Conclusion We demonstrated that the metabolic syndrome and its score related with increased resting heart rate and prolonged repolarization durations in patiens without overt diabetes mellitus. These pro arrhythmogenic parameters could be used in the development of risk stratifi cation schemes for sudden cardiac death in patients with the metabolic syndrome.

A 40-year-old man without previous medical history presented to the emergency department with chest pain and diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (ST segment elevation myocardial infarction). After the loading dose of clopidogrel (600 mg) and acetylsalicylic acid (300 mg), he was taken to the catheterization laboratory for urgent coronary angiography. Angiography demonstrated a 95% thrombotic stenosis at proximal portion of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and plaques in circumflex and right coronary arteries without significant stenosis. Therefore, we decided to primary intervention to LAD lesion and after the bolus dose (10mg/kg) of intravenous tirofiban baloon angioplasty (Simpass 2 15 mm, 12 atm, AlviMedica, Istanbul, Turkey) with stenting (bare metal stent, Ephesus 3 18 mm, 12 atm, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) was successfully performed. The