title: Dispersion of P wave duration and P wave vector in patients with atrial septal aneurysm.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) may be involved in the genesis of atrial arrhythmias as a consequence of disturbances in the propagation of depolarization, which may be easily assessed by P wave dispersion measurement. The aim of this study is to assess the dispersion of P wave duration and P wave vector in patients with ASA and to determine the effect of associated interatrial shunt on the magnitude of P wave dispersion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population consisted of 23 healthy volunteers and 88 patients with ASA base more than 15 mm and protrusion more than 7.5 mm. The size of aneurysms and atria was determined by echocardiography and P wave dispersion was measured on the surface ECG. In ASA patients, dispersion of P wave duration was significantly increased when compared with healthy controls (7.8 +/- 12.1 vs. 3.7 +/- 3.5 ms; P < 0.01). Dispersion of P wave vector was also significantly increased (8.5 +/- 10.1 degrees vs. 4.6 +/- 3.6 degrees ; P < 0.005). In healthy volunteers, the mean values of both parameters were below the cutoff points.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with ASA, there was a significant dispersion of P wave duration and P wave vector. Variation in P wave duration was significantly correlated with the dispersion of P wave vector and age of these patients. Dispersion of P wave vector was significantly decreased in ASA patients with interatrial shunt. P wave dispersion in ASA patients may predispose to the development of atrial arrhythmias.
authors.affiliation: Swietokrzyskie Centrum Kardiologii WSzZ, ul.Grunwaldzka 45, 25-736 Kielce, Poland. mjanion@interia.pl
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janion
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kurzawski
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sielski
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ciuraszkiewicz
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadowski
authors.forename: Edyta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Radomska
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006322:Heart Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged