The effect of left atrial histology and dimension on P wave morphology.

This study correlates left atrial appendage cell size, atrial fibrosis and echocardiographic (echo) measurement of left atrial size with P wave morphology. Twelve patients with known mitral valve disease had echo measurements of left atrial size with P wave morphology. Twelve patients with known mitral valve disease had echo measurements of left atrial size prior to mitral valve surgery; patients had varying degrees of left atrial enlargement. The left atrial appendage, removed at the time of surgery, was stereologically assessed for percent fibrosis and the diameters of 50 cells were measured and averaged. These factors were correlated with P wave amplitude and duration in lead II, greatest length in any led, PR segment (end of P wave to onset of QRS), P to PR segment ratio (in lead II) and the PR interval. There was a good correlation of left atrial cell diameter with P wave amplitude (r = .69, p = 0.01). There was a good inverse correlation of percent fibrosis with the PR segment (r = -.72, p = 0.01) and a direct correlation of fibrosis with the ratio of P wave length to PR segment (r = .67 p = 0.01). There was a trend for percent fibrosis to correlate with PO wave duration but not height. No correlation was noted for any of the P wave characteristics and left atrial size. This study demonstrates that there is a correlation of P wave height with cell diameter and P wave length and PR segment with fibrosis. These data are helpful in understanding the electrocardiographic P wave.