Introduction: Recent data confirm that P-wave ana-lysis can be used to predict arrhythmias, mainly atrial fibrillation.
Objective: To examine the correlation between the P-waves characteristics and the arrhythmias identified by 24-hour Holter monitoring in patients with systolic heart failure.
Methods: 31 patients (6 women, 25 men, average age 61 years) with systolic heart failure (LVEF<40%) were included in a retrospective study. Complex P-wave analysis was performed using standard digital elec-trocardiograms, measuring duration, amplitude and morphology parameters. P-wave characteristics were correlated with atrial and ventricular arrhythmias identified on 24-hour Holter monitoring (chi-square test, significance if p<0.05).
Results: Statistically significant or nearly significant (p<0.1) correlations were found: between the P-wave amplitude (>1 mm) and atrial/ventricular arrhythmi-as and atrial fibrillation (p=0.013, p=0.085, p=0.0025); biphasic P-wave in V1 lead and atrial arrhythmias (p=0.052); higher heart rate (>70 bpm) and ventricular arrhythmias (p=0.068); increased P-wave dispersion (>40 ms) and atrial fibrillation (p=0.09).
Conclusions: P-wave analysis in systolic heart failure is a useful prediction method for arrhythmias and could complete the risk stratification of these patients.