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. 2006 Oct 27;7(3):222–227. doi: 10.1111/j.1542-474X.2002.tb00167.x

Factors Associated with the Development of Atrial Fibrillation in COPD Patients: The Role of P‐Wave Dispersion

Tufan Tükek 1,✉, Pinar Yildiz 2, Vakur Akkaya 1, Mehmet Akif Karan 1, Dursun Atilgan 3, Veysel Yilmaz 2, Ferruh Korkut 3
PMCID: PMC7027775  PMID: 12167183

Abstract

Background: Supraventricular tachyarrhythmia is a common problem in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors associated with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) in COPD patients.

Methods: Forty COPD patients (38 male, 2 female, mean age 60 ± 9 years) and 33 healthy controls (29 male, 4 female, mean age: 58 ± 10 years) were included in this study. Echocardiography, 24‐hour ambulatory and 12‐lead ECG, pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gases, and serum electrolytes were measured. On ECG, maximum (Pmax) and minimum (Pmin) duration of P wave and its difference, P‐wave dispersion (PWd), were measured.

Results: On echocardiography, diastolic dysfunction was found in 14 of the 40 (35%) COPD patients. Heart rate variability analysis revealed that COPD patients had decreased SDANN, SDNN, SDNNIDX in time‐domain, and decreased LF in frequency domain parameters. Fourteen of the 40 COPD patients (35%) had AF. Patients with AF were older (57 ± 10 vs 64 ± 5 years, P = 0.03) and had lower SDANN, SDNN, and LF/HF ratio as compared to patients without AF in univariate analysis. All P‐wave intervals (Pmax Pmin and PWd) were increased in COPD patients compared to controls. P‐wave dispersion was significantly increased in COPD patients with AF, as compared to patients without AF (57 ± 11 vs 44 ± 7 ms, P = 0.001). In logistic regression analysis PWd was found to be the only factor associated with the development of AF (P = 0.04).

Conclusions: The presence of AF was significantly related to the prolongation of PWd, but not with pulmonary function, arterial blood gasses, and left and right atrial function. A.N.E. 2002;7(3):222–227

Keywords: COPD, heart rate variability, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, P‐wave dispersion

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Articles from Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology are provided here courtesy of International Society for Holter and Noninvasive Electrocardiology, Inc. and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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