Patrick W McNair1, Dan M Benenson2, James E Ip3, George Thomas3, Jim W Cheung3, Christopher F Liu3, Bruce B Lerman3, Steven M Markowitz4. 1. Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA. 2. Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY. 3. Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY. 4. Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY. Electronic address: smarkow@med.cornell.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to test the association of early repolarization pattern (ER) with lone atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were analyzed in blinded fashion in a case-control study of 182 patients with lone AF and 182 controls without AF. RESULTS: Patients with lone AF and controls had similar frequencies of ER pattern (15% vs. 19%, p=0.40). In patients <50years of age, there was also no difference in the percentage of patients with ER in the AF and control groups (17% vs. 19%, p=0.60). ER pattern was more common in patients with ECG voltage criteria of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), with ER present in 57% of patients with elevated Sokolow-Lyon voltage compared to 14% of those without (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: No association could be identified between the ER pattern and lone AF in young and middle-aged patients. In this age group, ER is substantially more common in patients with elevated Sokolow-Lyon voltage criteria.
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to test the association of early repolarization pattern (ER) with lone atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were analyzed in blinded fashion in a case-control study of 182 patients with lone AF and 182 controls without AF. RESULTS:Patients with lone AF and controls had similar frequencies of ER pattern (15% vs. 19%, p=0.40). In patients <50years of age, there was also no difference in the percentage of patients with ER in the AF and control groups (17% vs. 19%, p=0.60). ER pattern was more common in patients with ECG voltage criteria of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), with ER present in 57% of patients with elevated Sokolow-Lyon voltage compared to 14% of those without (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: No association could be identified between the ER pattern and lone AF in young and middle-aged patients. In this age group, ER is substantially more common in patients with elevated Sokolow-Lyon voltage criteria.