Accurate QT correction method from transfer entropy

BACKGROUND The QT interval in the electrocardiogram (ECG) is a fundamental risk measure for arrhythmic adverse cardiac events. However, the QT interval depends on the heart rate and must be cor-rected accordingly. The present QT correction (QTc) methods are either simple models leading to under-or overcorrection, or imprac-tical in requiring long-term empirical data. In general, there is no consensus on the best QTc method. OBJECTIVE We introduce a model-free QTc method-AccuQT- that computes QTc by minimizing the information transfer from R-R to QT intervals. The objective is to establish and validate a QTc method that provides superior stability and reliability without models or empirical data. METHODS We tested AccuQT against the most commonly used QT correction methods by using long-term ECG recordings of more than 200 healthy subjects from PhysioNet and THEW databases. RESULTS AccuQT overperforms the previously reported correction methods: the proportion of false-positives is reduced from 16% (Ba-zett) to 3% (AccuQT) for the PhysioNet data. In particular, the QTc variance is significantly reduced and thus the RR-QT stability is increased. CONCLUSION AccuQT has significant potential to become the QTc method of choice in clinical studies and drug development. The method can be implemented in any device recording R-R and QT in-tervals.

Automated summary

The article introduces a new QT correction method, AccuQT, which computes QTc by minimizing the information transfer from R-R to QT intervals. The results show that AccuQT outperforms other commonly used correction methods and has the potential to become the method of choice in clinical studies and drug development.