title: P-wave duration and dispersion in patients with metabolic syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Metabolic syndrome (MS) has been reported to be associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study was to investigate P-wave dispersion (PWD) in patients with MS.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included 66 patients with MS (21 men, 45 women; mean age, 49.7 +/- 9.1 years) and 63 control subjects without MS (26 men, 37 women; mean age, 47.0 +/- 10.6 years). The diagnosis of MS was based on the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. A 12-lead electrocardiogram was recorded for each subject. The difference between maximum and minimum P-wave duration was calculated and defined as PWD. An echocardiographic examination was also performed for each subject.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maximum P-wave duration and PWD were found to be significantly higher in patients with MS compared with the control subjects (Maximum P-wave duration: 113.5 +/- 9.7 ms vs 101.0 +/- 8.1 ms, PWD: 37.8 +/- 7.6 vs 23.3 +/- 5.9, respectively, P < 0.001 for both). However, there was no statistically significant difference between two groups regarding minimum P-wave duration (75.6 +/- 6.9 ms vs 77.6 +/- 7.8 ms, respectively, P = 0.18). In addition, PWD was positively correlated with age, body mass index, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride level, deceleration time, isovolumetric relaxation time and negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and early-to-late diastolic velocity ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have shown that patients with MS have higher PWD, indicating increased risk for AF, compared to the control subjects without MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ataturk Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. drasaatciyasar@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ayse Saatci
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Yasar
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bilen
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bilge
authors.forename: Gokturk
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ipek
authors.forename: Emrah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ipek
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kirbas
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged