Hydroxychloroquine and QTc: beyond COVID-19


Submitted: 28 April 2020
Accepted: 31 August 2020
Published: 1 October 2020
Abstract Views: 689
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Authors

  • Alberto Castagna Center for Cognitive Disorders and Dementia, Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale di Catanzaro, Italy.
  • Francesco Vetta Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, Rome, Italy.
  • Giuseppe Attisani Department of Public Heath, AUSL della Romagna, Rimini, Italy.
  • Raffaele Costa Geriatric Unit, Pugliese-Ciaccio General Hospital, Catanzaro, Italy.
  • Carmen Ruberto Center for Cognitive Disorders and Dementia, Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale di Catanzaro, Italy.
  • Viviana Vespertini Infectious Diseases Unit, Pugliese-Ciaccio General Hospital, Catanzaro, Italy.
  • Lucio Cosco Infectious Diseases Unit, Pugliese-Ciaccio General Hospital, Catanzaro, Italy.
  • Giovanni Ruotolo Geriatric Unit, Pugliese-Ciaccio General Hospital, Catanzaro, Italy.

Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial drug also known for its anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects, which have raised the interest of many researchers for its potential use in COVID-19 patients. It is known that this drug, being able to influence the cardiac repolarization phase with QTc interval prolongation, can be potentially harmful, chiefly in elderly subjects with frailty syndrome, several comorbidities and polypharmacotherapy. Therefore, although electrocardiogram monitoring of QTc prolongation is the focal point for reducing the arrhythmic risk of these patients, in order to identify the most exposed patients, the traditional Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment should be combined with a multiparametric risk score for QTc prolongation.


Castagna, A., Vetta, F., Attisani, G., Costa, R., Ruberto, C., Vespertini, V., Cosco, L., & Ruotolo, G. (2020). Hydroxychloroquine and QTc: beyond COVID-19. Geriatric Care, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.4081/gc.2020.9064

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