title: [The influence of digoxin treatment on the statistical distribution of R-R intervals in atrial fibrillation].
abstract: Functional refraction of atrio-ventricular node and the phenomenon of concealed conduction are basic factors which determine the frequency of ventricular beats as well as the duration of R-R intervals in atrial fibrillation. R-R intervals may be ordered according to their size and presented graphically in the form of histograms. The morphology of histograms depends on the ability of A-V node. Digoxin influences the morphology of histograms of R-R intervals, which may have a diagnostic value and become a therapeutic indicator. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the correlation between the morphology of histograms and digoxin serum concentration, as well as the clinical treatment with digoxin. In the study a classification was used which divided R-R intervals into 4 types and several sub-types. The study covers 91 patients treated with digoxin upon whom 161 histograms were made. Two groups of patients were studied: A-patients in whom digoxin concentration was determined, B-patients in whom treatment with digoxin was evaluated on the basis of their clinical condition. The study confirmed a hypothesis that treatment with digoxin causes specific changes in the statistical distribution of R-R intervals even though no strict correlation was found between the direction of these changes and the digoxin serum concentration. The dependence, however, was observed between histograms of R-R intervals in atrial fibrillation and the clinical course of treatment with digoxin.
authors.affiliation: I Oddziału Chorób Wewnetrznych Wojewódzkiego Szpitala Zespolonego w Białymstoku.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Tobiaszewska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016008:Statistical Distributions; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D004077:Digoxin