Prediction of atrial fibrillation in patients with cardiac dysfunctions: P wave signal-averaged ECG and chemoreflexsensitivity in atrial fibrillation.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia in advanced heart failure. The occurrence of AF increases the risk of death and hospitalization for patients with heart failure. The results of different studies indicated that patients with paroxysmal AF have a longer filtered P wave duration (FPD), a lower root mean square voltage of the last 20 ms of the P wave (RMS 20), and a lower chemoreflexsensitivity (CHRS).

Amiodarone prophylaxis for atrial fibrillation of high-risk patients after coronary bypass grafting: a prospective, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized study.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs often in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and can result in increased morbidity and mortality. Previous studies using P-wave signal-averaged electrocardiogram (P-SAECG) have shown that patients with a longer filtered P-wave duration (FPD) have a high risk of AF after CABG. We have shown that patients with an FPD > or = 124 ms and a root-mean-square voltage of the last 20 ms of the P-wave 20 < or = 3.

Prediction of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting: the role of chemoreflex-sensitivity and P wave signal averaged ECG.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) results in a prolonged hospital stay associated with higher costs. In our study P wave triggered P wave signal averaged ECG and chemoreflex-sensitivity (CHRS) was performed on 101 consecutive patients with sinus rhythm before CABG in order to evaluate the utility of these methods to predict AF. A CHRS below 3.