title: Seasonal variation of P-wave dispersion in healthy subjects.
abstract: We studied the seasonal variability of P dispersion in 523 healthy male patients, aged 22 +/- 4 years (range, 20-26). Four seasonal 12-lead resting electrocardiograms were recorded at 2 mV/cm standardization and at 50 mm/s paper speed at intervals of three months. Electrocardiograms were recorded between the hours 10 to 12 AM. The difference between the maximum P-wave duration and minimum P-wave duration was calculated and defined as "P dispersion." There was a significant seasonal variation in the maximum P-wave duration (P = .001) and P dispersion (P = .001), with the longest maximum P-wave duration (121 +/- 16 ms) and P dispersion (41 +/- 7 ms) observed in winter and the shortest maximum P-wave duration (106 +/- 15 ms) and P dispersion (24 +/- 8 ms) observed in summer. The minimum P-wave duration did not show any significant seasonal variation. In conclusion, there exists a significant seasonal variation in the maximum P-wave duration and P dispersion in healthy patients. Seasonal variation of P dispersion resulted from the significant variation of maximum P-wave duration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey. aiyisoy@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kose
authors.forename: Kudret
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aytemir
authors.forename: Ilknur
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Can
authors.forename: Atilla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iyisoy
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kilic
authors.forename: Basri
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amasyali
authors.forename: Hurkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kursaklioglu
authors.forename: Ersoy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oto
authors.forename: Ertan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Demirtas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D012016:Reference Values; D012621:Seasons; D014421:Turkey