P-wave dispersion in patients with stable coronary artery disease and its relationship with severity of the disease.

AIM

P-wave dispersion (PD) has been reported to be associated with inhomogeneous and discontinuous propagation of sinus impulses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the PD in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and to determine its relationship with severity of the disease.

METHODS

We prospectively analyzed 66 subjects with normal coronary angiogram (group 1) and 68 patients with significant (> or =50%) coronary stenosis; 25 had 1-vessel disease (group 2), 27 had 2-vessel disease (group 3), and 16 had 3-vessel disease (group 4). The maximum and minimum P-wave duration (Pmax and Pmin) and PD were measured from the 12-lead surface electrocardiogram. Echocardiographic examination was also performed. Angiographic vessel score and Gensini score were used to evaluate the severity of CAD.

RESULTS

Pmax was longer in groups 3 and 4 compared with group 1 (P = .001 for both comparison). PD was greater in groups 2, 3, and 4 compared with group 1 ( P < .001 for all comparison), and also in group 4 compared with group 2 (P = .001). However, there was no statistically significant difference among the groups regarding Pmin. In bivariate correlation, increased PD was correlated with presence of hypertension (r = 0.278, P = .013), left ventricular ejection fraction (r = -0.231, P = .044), left atrial diameter (r = 0.223, P = .032), presence of moderate to severe mitral regurgitation (r = 0.284, P = .017), vessel score (r = 0.465, P < .001), and Gensini score (r = 0.338, P = .005). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that only vessel score was independently associated with PD (beta = .471, P = .01).

CONCLUSIONS

PD was found to be greater in patients with stable CAD than in controls and to be associated with severity of the disease.