title: Atrial electromechanical coupling interval and P-wave dispersion in healthy elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to investigate the potential effect of natural aging on atrial fibrillation (AF) by means of electrocardiographic P-wave analysis and measurement of the transthoracic echocardiographic electromechanical coupling interval (EMC).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised 25 healthy individuals aged ≥65 years (group 1) and 25 control subjects <65 years (group 2). The difference between maximum (Pmax) and minimum (Pmin) P-wave durations on 12-lead electrocardiography were defined as P-wave dispersion (PD). Intra- and inter-atrial EMC were measured by tissue Doppler imaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pmax (107.2 ± 3.58 msec vs 100.0 ± 3.56 msec, p<0.001) and PD (43.6 ± 4.98 msec vs 36.5 ± 3.56 msec, p<0.001) were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2. Left atrial EMC [24.6 (15.20) vs 13.3 (4.50), p<0.001] and inter-atrial EMC [43.2 (16.05) vs 33.3 (4.75), p<0.001] were significantly delayed in group 1 compared with group 2. There was a significant correlation between left atrial diameter, PD, Pmax, left atrial EMC, and inter-atrial EMC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aging is correlated with increased left atrial size and impaired diastolic relaxation, which may contribute to a greater risk of AF in terms of prolonged PD and atrial EMC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale University, Turkey. nesligul2004@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Nesligül
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tulmac
authors.forename: Vedat
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Simsek
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tolga Dogru
authors.forename: Haksun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ebinc
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guzel
authors.forename: Yunus
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Ozer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Eser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male