Evolution of P-wave indices during long-term follow-up as markers of atrial substrate progression in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Abstract

AIMS\nPatients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) have increased prevalence of atrial arrhythmias indicating atrial involvement in the disease. We aimed to assess the long-term evolution of P-wave indices as electrocardiographic (ECG) markers of atrial substrate during ARVC progression.\n\n\nMETHODS AND RESULTS\nWe included 100 patients with a definite ARVC diagnosis according to 2010 Task Force criteria [34% females, median age 41 (inter-quartile range 30-55) years]. All available sinus rhythm ECGs (n\u2009=\u20091504) were extracted from the regional electronic ECG databases and automatically processed using Glasgow algorithm. P-wave duration, P-wave area, P-wave frontal axis, and prevalence of abnormal P terminal force in lead V1 (aPTF-V1) were assessed and compared at ARVC diagnosis, 10\u2009years before and up to 15\u2009years after diagnosis.Prior to ARVC diagnosis, none of the P-wave indices differed significantly from the data at ARVC diagnosis. After ascertainment of ARVC diagnosis, P-wave area in lead V1 decreased from -1 to -30\u2009µV\u2009ms at 5\u2009years (P\u2009=\u20090.002). P-wave area in lead V2 decreased from 82\u2009µV\u2009ms at ARVC diagnosis to 42\u2009µV\u2009ms 10\u2009years after ARVC diagnosis (P\u2009=\u20090.006). The prevalence of aPTF-V1 increased from 5% at ARVC diagnosis to 18% by the 15th year of follow-up (P\u2009=\u20090.004). P-wave duration and frontal axis did not change during disease progression.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nInitial ARVC progression was associated with P-wave flattening in right precordial leads and in later disease stages an increased prevalence of aPTF-V1 was seen.