[The spectral analysis of the P wave in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to establish if patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation have an abnormal spectrum of the P wave.


METHODS
Thirty-five patients with previous documented atrial fibrillation were compared with a control group of 29 patients. A signal-averaged ECG was performed using an ART-1200-EPX system, and a segment covering the last 75 ms of the P wave and the next 25 mg was analyzed in each of three orthogonal leads (X, Y, Z) and in a combined one (C). The area under the spectral curve between 20 and 50 Hz was divided by the area between 0 and 20 Hz (x 100 = AR50).


RESULTS
Patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation had greater AR50 on leads Y (78.3 +/- 42.9 vs 54.4 +/- 14.8; p < 0.01) and C (82.2 +/- 52.1 vs 58.4 +/- 14.6, p < 0.05) when compared with the control group. In the subset of patients without structural heart disease AR50 in lead X was greater. The criterion "AR50 > 55 in lead Y" identified paroxysmal atrial fibrillation with a sensitivity of 77.1% and a specificity of 85%.


CONCLUSIONS
This method may be useful to detect patients at risk for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital General Universitario, Murcia.
A
A
García Alberola
M
M
Valdés Chavarri
T
T
Vicente Vera
J
J
García Reverte
F
F
Pérez Lorente
D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation
Análisis espectral de la onda P en pacientes con fibrilación auricular paroxística.