Short P-Wave Duration Is Associated with Incident Atrial Fibrillation

This study, therefore, aimed to test the effect of the association between P-wave and PR-interval on the ECG and incident AF.The PIVUS (Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors) study (1016 individuals all aged 70 years; 50% women) was used to identify whether the ECG variables P-wave duration (Pdur) and PR-duration in lead V1 were related to new-onset AF. Exclusion criteria were prevalent AF, QRS-duration ≥ 130 milliseconds (msec), atrial tachyarrhythmias and implanted pacemaker/defibrillator. Cox proportional-hazards models were used for analyses. Adjustments were made for gender, RR-interval, beta-blocking agents, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, and smoking.Of 877 subjects at risk, 189 individuals developed AF during a 15-year follow-up. There was a U-shaped relationship between the Pdur and incident AF (P = 0.017) following multiple adjustment. Values below 60 msec were significantly associated with incident AF, with a hazard ratio of 1.55 (95% confidence interval 1.15-2.09) for a Pdur ≤ 42 msec. There was no significant relationship between incident AF and the PR-interval.A short Pdur derived from the ECG in V1 may be a useful marker for new-onset AF, enabling the early identification of at-risk patients.PMID:35831146 | DOI:10.1536/ihj.21-797
Source: International Heart Journal - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: research