title: Electrocardiographic P-wave characteristics in patients with psoriasis vulgaris.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Psoriasis vulgaris is one of the most common skin disorders. Patients with psoriasis carry an excessive risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). The differences between the maximum (Pmax) and the minimum (Pmin) P-wave duration on ECG are defined as P-wave dispersion (PWD). Prolongation of PWD is an independent risk factor for the development of AF. The aim of this the study was to investigate P-wave duration and PWD in patients with psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-one adult patients with psoriasis vulgaris (group 1) and 58 age and sex-matched healthy individuals (group 2) were included in this study. ECG recordings were obtained, and the P-wave variables were calculated. Results were reported as mean ± standard deviation and percentages. Continuous variables were analysed using Student's t test. A value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically signiﬁcant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pmax and PWD were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (108.8 ± 21.3 ms versus 93.3 ± 13.0 ms, P < 0.001; 67.4 ± 22.9 ms versus 45.0 ± 19.6 ms, P < 0.001, respectively). Also, Pmin was significantly lower in group 1 (41.3 ± 12.3 ms versus 48.3 ± 14.3 ms, P = 0.04). The psoriasis disease activity score and hsCRP correlated with PWD (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atrial conduction of sinus impulses was impaired in patients with psoriasis vulgaris. It was more prominent in patients with severe disease. Physicians caring for patients with psoriasis vulgaris should screen them for AF development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, BezmiÂlem Foundation University, Istanbul, Turkey. ahmetbacaxiz@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacaksiz
authors.forename: Ercan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.forename: Abdurrrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tasal
authors.forename: Mehmet Akif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vatankulu
authors.forename: Seref
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kul
authors.forename: Emrah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sevgili
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ertas
authors.forename: Didem
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dizman
authors.forename: Nahide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Onsun
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Uysal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*