P wave duration in paroxysmal and persistent atrial
fibrillation
Malte Unkell1, Maxim Marinov1,
Peter-Stephan Wolff1, Jadwiga Radziejewska
RN2, Jakub Mercik MD3, Jacek Gajek
MD, PhD4
1 Students’ Scientific Association, Department of Emergency Medical
Service, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
2 Klodzko County Hospital, Klodzko, Poland
3 Department of Emergency Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw,
Poland
4 Department of Emergency Medical Service, Wroclaw Medical University,
Wroclaw, Poland
Corresponding author:
Jakub Mercik, MD
Department of Emergency Medicine
Wroclaw Medical University
Borowska 213
50-556 Wroclaw
Poland
e-mail: jakub.mercik@wp.pl
Abstract:
Functional and structural changes in atrial muscle constitute a
substrate for atrial fibrillation. The pathological changes in the left
atrium decrease conduction velocity and result in prolongation of the P
wave duration. The aim of the study was to assess the duration of the P
wave in patients with paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation.
The study group consisted of 119 patients diagnosed with atrial
fibrillation, 57 women and 62 men, aged 65.3+/-9.4 years. There were 65
patients with paroxysmal AF and 54 with persistent AF. In this group the
electrical cardioversion was performed. The P wave duration, was
measured using electrophysiological system in all leads at paper speed
of 200 mm/s and
The studied patients did not differ in term of age, gender and
comorbidities. The patients with persistent AF had longer P wave
duration (159.9+/-22.3 vs 144.6+/-17.2 ms, p<0.001), higher
glucose concentration (119.4+/-33.4 vs 108.0+/-24.6 mg/dL, p=0.015).
Those results were not influenced by the anti-arrhythmic treatment.
The persistent atrial fibrillation shows prolongation of the P wave
duration over the paroxysmal form of the arrhythmia, independently to
age, gender and anti-arrhythmic medication. The prolongation of the P
wave related to persistent arrhythmia should force the physicians to
earlier restoration of the sinus rhythm in order to its more successful
long term maintenance.
Key words: P wave duration, atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus,
chronic kidney disease