title: P wave dispersion in juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients with diastolic dysfunction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cardiac involvement as pericarditis, myocarditis and valvular disease is common in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). However, there are few studies concerning systolic and diastolic functions of the left ventricle in children with JIA. P wave dispersion is a sign for the prediction of atrial fibrillation. A recent study found that rheumatoid arthritis patients had an abnormally high P wave duration and P wave dispersion, markers for supraventricular arrhythmogenicity. In this study, we aimed to evaluate P wave dispersion and its relation with diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle in patients with JIA.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed electrocardiography and Doppler echocardiography on patients and controls. Maximum and minimum P wave duration were obtained from electrocardiographic measurements. P wave dispersion defined as the difference between maximum and minimum P wave duration was also calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant differences were found between the patients and controls in minimum, maximum P wave duration and P wave dispersion. Among the diastolic parameters in patients group, increased late flow velocity, decreased early flow velocity and prolonged isovolumic relaxation time reflected diastolic dysfunction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During 12 months of follow-up, no supraventricular arrhythmias were documented in JIA with diastolic dysfunction. JIA with diastolic dysfunction has normal atrial conduction parameters and therefore seemingly do not have an increased risk of atrial fibrillation.
authors: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Harran University Medical Faculty, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
authors: Bülent
authors: B
authors: Koca
authors: Süleyman
authors: S
authors: Bakari
authors: Ozgür
authors: O
authors: Kasapçopur
authors: Emre
authors: E
authors: Celik
authors: Funda
authors: F
authors: Oztunç
authors: Ayşe Güler
authors: AG
authors: Eroğlu
authors: Levent
authors: L
authors: Saltik
keywords: Arrhythmia; Diastolic dysfunction; Echocardiography; Juvenile idiopathic arthritis