title: Assessment of P-wave dispersion on 12-lead electrocardiography in students who exercise regularly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  P-wave dispersion, an electrocardiographic marker, is an independent predictor of atrial fibrillation. P-wave dispersion is associated with inhomogeneous and discontinuous propagation of sinus impulses. The aim of this study was to investigate P-wave dispersion in students who apply for registration to School of Physical Education and Sports.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 984 students (810 boys [mean age: 19.8 +/- 2.0 years] and 174 girls [mean age: 19.0 +/- 1.8 years]) who applied for registration to School of Physical Education and Sports with a training history of some years were included in the study. P-wave duration was calculated in all 12 leads of the surface electrocardiography, which were simultaneously recorded. The difference between P maximum and P minimum durations was defined as P-wave dispersion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, P-wave maximal duration, and P-wave dispersion were increased in boys as compared with girls. Of age (P = 0.53), systolic blood pressure (P = 0.42), diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.50), pulse pressure (P = 0.73), gender, heart rate, and BMI tested with univariate linear regression analysis in all subjects; only gender (P < 0.001), BMI (P = 0.01), and heart rate (P = 0.02) were associated with P-wave dispersion (F = 5.16, P < 0.001, R(2)= 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  P-wave dispersion was increased in boys as compared with girls who exercise regularly. P-wave dispersion is affected by gender, BMI, and heart rate in healthy students.
authors.affiliation: Sakarya University School of Health, Sakarya, Turkey. mustafayilldiz@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pazarli
authors.forename: Olcay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Semiz
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kahyaoglu
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sakar
authors.forename: Sevin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Altinkaynak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*