Inheritance of atrioventricular conduction time in Tokelau Islanders.

The inheritance of A-V conduction time in Polynesians has been examined, using ECGs taken from the population of the Tokelau Islands. As has been demonstrated in other racial groups, A-V conduction time was influenced by sex, age, and heart rate. Complex segregation analysis provides evidence for a significant polygenic influence on A-V conduction, but no evidence for a major gene. Familial correlations and commingling analysis are in agreement with this conclusion. The heritability of A-V conduction time was 0.46. The hypothesis of Møller & Heiberg (1980a) that a major gene could be influencing A-V conduction, is not supported by these data.