Introduction: Increased P-wave dispersion is well known to be the predictor of recurrences after cardioversion in patients with atrial fibrillation. However, there is little data about relation between recurrence of atrial fibrillation and increased P-wave dispersion in normal LA sized patients after electrical cardioversion.
Methods: . We reviewed the electrocardiograms taken within a day in atrial fibrillation patients with successful cardioversion. All patients received antiarrhythmic drug after cardioversion. We compared P wave dispersion and maximum P-wave duration between recurrent group and non-recurrent group.
Results: In 27 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation with normal LA size, 14 patients (51.8%) recurred atrial fibrillation after cardioversion. There were no difference in baseline characteristics including sex, age, hypertension and diabetes between two groups. P wave dispersions were significantly higher in the recurrent group than the nonrecurrent group (44.5±20 vs 30±12 ms, P<0.038). Furthermore, recurrent group showed significantly prolonged maximum P wave compared with that of nonrecurrent group (134±16 vs. 118±19, p=0.035).
Conclusions: : Increased P wave dispersion and prolonged maximum P-wave duration were associated with the recurrence of atrial fibrillation in patients with normal LA size after electrical cardioversion.