Table 1.
Baseline characteristics, comorbidities and Holter parameters
| Variable | Total (n=476) | AF detected (n=42) | AF not detected (n=434) | p value |
| Clinical parameters | ||||
| Age, years, mean (SD) | 56.4 (17.0) | 69.8 (12.2) | 53.1 (16.7) | <0.001 |
| Female, n (%) | 266 (56) | 22 (52) | 244 (56) | 0.632 |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 173 (36.3) | 32 (76.1) | 141 (32.4) | <0.001 |
| Diabetes, n (%) | 78 (16.3) | 11 (26.2) | 67 (18) | 0.072 |
| Coronary artery disease, n (%) | 102 (21.4) | 17 (40.4) | 85 (19.5) | 0.002 |
| Hypercholesterolaemia, n (%) | 177 (37.1) | 17 (40.4) | 160 (36.8) | 0.644 |
| History of stroke or transient ischaemic attack, n (%) | 111 (23.3) | 23 (54.7) | 88 (20.2) | <0.001 |
| Valvular disease, n (%) | 72 (15.1) | 18 (42.8) | 54 (12.4) | <0.001 |
| Palpitations, n (%) | 241 (50.63) | 32 (76.19) | 209 (48.15) | 0.001 |
| Holter parameters | ||||
| Recording, hours, median (IQR) | 127.5 (116 to 152) | 153.4 (133.7 to 166.0) | 124.0 (115.0 to 127.5) | 0.001 |
| Mean heart rate, bpm, mean (SD) | 79.9 (13.3) | 104.7 (13.0) | 77.5 (11.2) | 0.001 |
| Max heart rate, bpm, mean (SD) | 139.1 (18.2) | 144.9 (12.4) | 138.5 (18.6) | 0.004 |
| Min heart rate, bpm, mean (SD) | 49.2 (8.3) | 50.4 (10.5) | 49.0 (8.1) | 0.417 |
| ≥10 sinus pauses/day (%) | 77 (16.1) | 26 (61.9) | 51 (11.7) | <0.001 |
| ≥50 atrial ectopics/day (%) | 156 (32.7) | 36 (85.7) | 120 (27.6) | <0.001 |
| ≥500 ventricular ectopics/recording (%) | 443 (93) | 42 (100) | 401 (92.3) | 0.064 |
| Supraventricular ectopic (SVE) runs, (%) | 70 (14.7) | 26 (61.9) | 44 (10.1) | <0.001 |
| Longest atrial run, mean (SD) | 8.7 (4.0) | 10.9 (2.8) | 8.1 (4.0) | <0.001 |
Data presented as number, n(percentage,%) for categorical variables, mean (SD) for parametric continuous variables, and median (IQR) for non-parametric continuous variables. p value is significant if < 0.05.
AF, atrial fibrillation; bpm, beats per minute; SD, Standard Deviation.