title: Long-term follow-up of P-wave duration and dispersion in patients with mitral stenosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with mitral stenosis have prolonged P-wave duration and increased P-wave dispersion (PWD) that have been associated with increased risk for atrial fibrillation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty mild-to-moderate mitral stenosis patients were followed for 38.4+/-10.7 (23-48) months. Baseline and last 12-lead electrocardiographic and transthoracic echocardiographic measurements were evaluated. Maximum and minimum P-wave durations (Pmax and Pmin) and PWD were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pmax and PWD were significantly higher in patients compared to control group. Left atrial (LA) size, mitral gradient, and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) were significantly increased and mitral valve area (MVA) was decreased during follow-up. There were significant increases in Pmax and PWD and significant decrease in Pmin (Pmax: 101.0+/-12.5 ms vs 105.0+/-16.5 ms, P=0.005; Pmin: 59.3+/-8.5 ms vs 55.0+/-12.3 ms P=0.004; PWD: 41.7+/-5.5 ms vs 50.0+/-6.2 ms, P<0.001). Baseline Pmax, Pmin, and PWD were significantly correlated with MVA (Pmax: r=-0.605, P<0.001, Pmin: r=-0.632, P<0.001, PWD: r=-0.402, P=0.0028) and mean mitral gradient (Pmax: r=0.412, P=0.024, Pmin: r=0.632, P=0.049, PWD: r=0.378, P=0.039). In addition to MVA and mean mitral gradient follow-up P-wave variables were significantly correlated with LA size (Pmax: r=0.573, P=0.001, Pmin: r=0.636, P=0.001, PWD: r=0.265, P=0.046) and PASP (Pmax: r=0.462, P=0.011, Pmin: r=0.472, P=0.008 PWD: r=0.295, P=0.047).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  P-wave duration and PWD increase progressively in accordance with the progression of mitral stenosis.
authors.affiliation: Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine, Cardiology Department, Van, Turkey. guntekinunal@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Unal
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Guntekin
authors.forename: Yilmaz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gunes
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tuncer
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gunes
authors.forename: Musa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Hakki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Simsek
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity