P-wave amplitude and pulmonary artery pressure in scleroderma.
OBJECTIVE
Scleroderma is an immune-mediated disease characterized by excess deposition of collagen leading to microvascular occlusion. Morbidity and mortality are often secondary to pulmonary hypertension from injury to pulmonary microvasculature and interstitial lung disease. This study correlated P-wave findings on the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) with mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) measured by right heart catheterization in patients with scleroderma.


METHODS
A retrospective review of 12-lead ECGs in 23 patients referred to a rheumatology clinic with the diagnosis of scleroderma was performed. Right heart catheterization was performed within 1 month of the resting ECG.


RESULTS
Linear regression related P-wave amplitude in lead II with mPAP (r = 0.52, P = .011) This model was 73% sensitive and 67% specific for the presence or absence of elevated mPAP.


CONCLUSIONS
P-wave amplitude analysis on the ECG may be helpful in the assessment of pulmonary hypertension in patients with scleroderma.
Wokhlu
Nina
N
Division of Cardiology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Hsu
Vivien M
VM
Wilson
Alan
A
Moreyra
Abel E
AE
Shindler
Daniel
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity