Assessment of atrial electromechanical delay and P-wave dispersion in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus is an independent and strong risk factor for development of atrial fibrillation (AF). Electrophysiologic and electromechanical abnormalities are associated with a higher risk of AF. In this study we aimed to determine the correlation of atrial conduction abnormalities between the surface electrocardiographic and tissue Doppler echocardiographic measurements in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Methods: A total of 88 consecutive T2DM patients and 49 age-, gender-, and body mass index-matched healthy volunteers were included in the present study. Baseline characteristics were recorded and 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, transthoracic echocardiography, and 12-lead surface electrocardiography were performed for all study participants. Atrial electromechanical delay (EMD) intervals were measured. Results: Maximum P-wave duration and P-wave dispersion (Pd) were significantly higher in patients with T2DM (105.7 +/- 10.2 ms vs. 102.2 +/- 7.5 ms, p = 0.02; 40.6 +/- 7.6 ms vs. 33.6 +/- 5.9 ms, p < 0.001, respectively). Interatrial, intraatrial, and intraleft atrial EMD were significantly higher in the T2DM patients when compared with the controls (16.5 +/- 7.8 ms vs.11.2 +/- 4.4 ms, p < 0.001; 9.0 +/- 7.3 ms vs. 6.0 +/- 3.8 ms, p = 0.002, and 7.4 +/- 5.2 ms vs. 5.1 +/- 3.2 ms, p = 0.002 respectively). Correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between interatrial EMD and Pd (r = 0.429, p < 0.001) and left atrial volume (r = 0.428,p < 0.001). Conclusions: In this study, there was significant EMD and Pd in patients with T2DM as compared with healthy volunteers. Additionally, interatrial EMD was correlated with Pd and left atrial volume index. (C) 2015 Japanese College of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.