Re-evaluation of the role of P-wave duration and morphology as predictors of atrial fibrillation and flutter after coronary artery bypass surgery
Open Access
- 1 July 1996
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in European Heart Journal
- Vol. 17 (7) , 1065-1071
- https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.eurheartj.a015003
Abstract
To evaluate the significance of P-wave duration and morphology for the development of post-operative atrial fibrillation/flutter, we investigated 189 consecutive patients scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass surgery. The longest pre-operative total P-wave duration was measured from the standard electrocardiogram at a paper speed of 50 mm. s−1 (mean of two independent observers). By the signal averaging technique we determined the pre-operative total P-wave duration, and root-mean square voltage of the last 10, 20, and 30 ms of the filtered (40–250 Hz) P-wave from a vector composite of three orthogonal leads at noise level 0·2 μV. Forty-two (22%) of the patients developed atrial fibrillation/flutter. Older age (mean ± SD) 62 ± 8 vs 56 ± 8 years (P60 years, the relative risk was 4·46 (2·05–9·73), and body weight >80 kg, the relative risk was 3·81 (l·71–8·46). Thus, P-wave duration and morphology did not provide significant information on the risk of atrial fibrillation/flutter when controlling for the effects of increasing age and body weight.Keywords
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