P wave dispersion is prolonged in patients with Wilson's disease

AIM: To investigate the P wave dispersion as a non-invasive marker of intra-atrial conduction disturbances in patients with Wilson's disease. METHODS: We compared Wilson's disease patients (n = 18) with age matched healthy subjects (n = 15) as controls. The diagnosis was based on clinical symptoms, laboratory tests (ceruloplasmin, urinary and hepatic copper concentrations). P wave dispersion, a measurement of the heterogeneity of atrial depolarization, was measured as the difference between the duration of the longest and the shortest P-waves in 12 lead electrocardiography. RESULTS: All the patients were asymptomatic on cardiological examination and have sinusal rhythm in electrocardiography. Left ventricular and left atrial diameters, left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular mass index were similar in both groups. The Wilson's disease patients had a significantly higher P wave dispersion compared with the controls (44.7 +/- 5.8 vs 25.7 +/- 2.5, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: There was an increase in P wave dispersion in cardiologically asymptomatic Wilson's disease patients which probably represents an early stage of cardiac involvement. (c) 2008 WJG. All rights reserved.