Detection of hypertensive patients at risk for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation during sinus rhythm by computer-assisted P wave analysis

Objective and methods To determine whether hypertensive patients at risk for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) could be detected while in sinus rhythm, a computer-based 12-lead surface electrocardiogram was recorded in 50 hypertensive patients with history of paroxysmal AF (group A) and in 60 hypertensive patients without history of AF (group B). The maximum P-wave duration (P-maximum), the minimum P-wave duration (P-minimum), P-wave dispersion (P-dispersion = P-maximum P-minimum), adjusted P-wave dispersion (AP(dispersion) = P-disperison/square root of the number of measurable leads), mean P-wave duration (mean P) and the standard deviation of the P-wave duration in all measured leads (SDP) were calculated. Results P-dispersion, AP(dispersion) and SDP were significantly higher in group A than in group B (P-dispersion,52 +/- 19 versus 41 +/- 15 ms, P < 0.001;AP(dispersion) 15.2 +/- 5.5 versus 11.9 +/- 4.6 ms, P < 0.001; SDP, 16 +/- 5 versus 13 +/- 5 ms, P < 0.001). P-minimum, mean P and left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) were significantly lower in group A than in group B (P-minimum, 79 +/- 18 versus 91 +/- 13 ms, P < 0.001; mean P, 108 +/- 18 versus 116 +/- 13 ms, P = 0.005; LVEF, 64 +/- 5 versus 69 +/- 8%, P < 0.001). P-minimum, P-dispersion mean P, SDP, APdispersion and LVEF were found to be significant univariate predictors of paroxysmal AF, whereas only P-minimum (P < 0.001) remained a significant independent predictor of paroxysmal AF in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion Hypertensive patients at risk for paroxysmal AF could be detected while in sinus rhythm by computer-assisted electrocardiographic P-wave analysis. J Hypertens 1999, 17:1463-1470 (C) Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.