title: Comparison of the amplitude of the P-wave from intracardiac electrocardiogram obtained by means of a central venous catheter filled with saline solution to that obtained via esophageal electrocardiogram.
abstract: Recognition of the P wave is important for the correct characterization of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. When the P wave is difficult to identify on standard electrocardiography (SECG), either esophageal electrocardiography (EECG) or intracardiac electrocardiography (IC-ECG), central venous catheter may be used. The feasibility of these methods has already been demonstrated, but there is no published study comparing them. This study compared the amplitude of the P wave obtained by IC-ECG with those of the P waves obtained by EECG and SECG. SECG, EECG, and IC-ECG were performed on each patient. IC-ECG and EECG made it possible to register P waves larger than registered by SECG (p <0.00001). The difference between the largest P waves obtained with IC-ECG (5.93 +/- 3.56 mm) and EECG (4.67 +/- 2.16 mm) was not statistically significant (p = 0.1953). In conclusion, IC-ECG is easy to perform and magnifies the P wave at least as effectively as EECG.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Cardiovascular de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. marianobenzadon@yahoo.com.ar <marianobenzadon@yahoo.com.ar>
authors.forename: Mariano Noel
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Benzadón
authors.forename: Daniel Felipe
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: Jorge Mario
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Thierer
authors.forename: Ricardo Adolfo Spampinato
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Torcivia
authors.forename: Leandro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aldunate
authors.forename: Alberto Enrique Alves
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Navia
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dorsa
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trivi
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D004947:Esophagus; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic
chemical_list: D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic