title: [Prevalence of atrial arrhythmia in 48 hypertensive patients: research of predictive criteria].
abstract: We studied atrial arrhythmias during a continue prospective work in 48 hypertensive patients referred to the OMS criteria. Hypertension was confirmed by a blood pressure ambulatory monitoring and stress testing blood pressure trend. All cardiovascular drugs were stopped at admission. Patients with associated valvular or coronary artery disease were excluded from analysis. In all patients, we realized a twelve lead-ECG, stress testing, 24 hour Holter monitoring, a blood pressure ambulatory monitoring, two-dimensional echocardiography with Doppler study and cardiac radio-nuclide angiography with diastolic function study. Atrial arrhythmias were considered significant if more than 100 premature atrial beats (PAB) and/or more than three successive PAB were present during Holter monitoring. Significant atrial arrhythmias were found in 39.5% of patients (group II, n = 19), not significant in 60.5% of patients (group I, n = 29). The duration of hypertension was longer in group II (140 vs 66 months, p < 0.05). There was no difference between the two populations considering left atrial size or blood pressure level. Furthermore, we were surprised to find a normal E/A ratio on mitral Doppler recording in patients with atrial arrhythmias (1.23 vs 0.9; p < 0.05). Others diastolic parameters didn't significantly differ. Left ventricular mass index was similar in the two groups but patients with atrial arrhythmias had more asymmetric hypertrophy (1.23 vs 1.13 septum/posterior wall ratio: p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  atrial arrhythmias in our study seem to be more dependent from duration of HTA and left ventricular asymmetric structure than from left atrial size.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors: Service de cardiologie B, hôpital Trousseau, Tours.
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Breuillac
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Babuty
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Charniot
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Fauchier
authors: M P
authors: MP
authors: Richard
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Cosnay
authors: J P
authors: JP
authors: Fauchier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies
vernacular_title: Etude de la prévalence des troubles du rythme auriculaire chez 48 patients hypertendus: recherche de critères prédictifs.