Evaluation of the impact of treatment on endothelial function and cardiac performance in acromegaly.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of treatment on left ventricular (LV) performance and endothelial function in patients with acromegaly. METHOD: Nineteen patients with active acromegaly (AA), 18 patients with cured/well-controlled acromegaly (CA), and 25 healthy control subjects were studied. LV performance was evaluated by two-dimensional/Doppler echocardiography and Doppler tissue imaging (TDI). Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) was measured by B-mode ultrasound. Endothelial cell markers; thrombomodulin (TM), and P-selectin were also measured. RESULTS: Tei index was higher than the control subjects in both acromegaly groups. The ratio of early and late diastolic annular velocities (Em'/Am') was significantly lower in the AA group than the other groups (P < 0.05). FMD in both acromegaly groups was significantly lower than the controls (P < 0.001) but difference between acromegaly groups was not significant (P > 0.05). In the CA group, P-selectin was higher than the controls and was even higher in the AA (P < 0.05). TM was significantly higher in the active group (P < 0.05) and not different than the controls in the CA group. CONCLUSION: TDI determine LV performance changes in acromegaly earlier than conventional echocardiographic methods. Endothelial function both in the form of FMD and endothelial cell markers is impaired in acromegaly. While in cured acromegaly endothelial cell injury, as evidenced by TM levels, is decreased, endothelial dysfunction still persists.

Aorta-right atrial fistula: a rare complication of prosthetic aortic valvular endocarditis.

Aortic root abscess is a well-known complication of aortic valve endocarditis but intracardiac fistulas are rarely seen. This report describes a patient with prosthetic valve endocarditis who had an aortic root abscess that ruptured into the right atrium creating an aortic-right atrial fistula and causing a highly mobile vegetative mass in the right atrium.

cTnT can be a useful marker for early detection of anthracycline cardiotoxicity.

BACKGROUND: The level of serum cardiac troponin-T (cTnT) increases with myocardial damage. We sought to assess whether cTnT level could be a useful marker for the early detection of anthracycline cardiotoxicity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients who had been scheduled to receive anthracycline-containing combination chemotherapy were included in the study. Serum cTnT levels were measured before (baseline) and after the first cycle of chemotherapy, and again, after the last cycle of chemotherapy. In all patients, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), fractional shortening (FS), early peak flow/atrial flow velocity (E/A) ratio, and the isovolemic relaxation time (IRT) were measured echocardiographically, both before and after the completion of chemotherapy. RESULTS: LVEF and FS did not change in any patients. In 21 patients (49%), the E/A ratio decreased after therapy as compared to the pre-treatment values. The decrease in E/A ratio was more prominent in patients who were older than the mean age of our study group, which was 44 years. The post-treatment IRT was prolonged compared with the pretreatment IRT (94.0 +/- 2.0 versus 85.6 +/- 10.5 ms, respectively). cTnT levels after completion of therapy were elevated in 14 (34%) patients, and exceeded the upper limit of the normal range (>0.1 ng/ml) in only one patient. cTnT levels measured after completion of therapy were significantly higher, compared with those measured at baseline and after the first cycle of therapy. In the younger age group (< or =44 years old), there was a two-fold decrease in the E/A ratio in those patients whose cTnT levels increased during the therapy, when compared with those whose cTnT levels did not change (21% versus 43%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Increased serum cTnT level can be detected in the early stages of anthracycline therapy and it is associated with diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle. Therefore, serum cTnT level could be a useful measure for early detection of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity.

Echocardiographic evidence of cardiac involvement in ankylosing spondylitis.

Aortic insufficiency, myocardial fibrosis and conduction disturbances are known complications of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). However, few studies have assessed left ventricular diastolic function and no data are available about P-wave analysis. In this study 88 AS patients and 31 healthy volunteers underwent clinical examination, electrocardiography, echocardiography and signal-averaged P-wave analysis for the evaluation of asymptomatic cardiac involvement. The aortic root in AS patients was larger and this was correlated with the duration of the disease. Five of 88 AS patients (5.7%) had evidence of mitral valve prolapse, six (6.8%) had thick and redundant mitral valves without prolapse, five (5.7%) had mild mitral regurgitation, two had moderate (2.3%) and two had mild (2.3%) aortic regurgitation. Examination of diastolic function revealed a lower peak of E-wave velocity (E) and E/A ratio, a higher peak of A-wave velocity (A) and acceleration rate of the A wave, a longer deceleration time of E-wave velocity and isovolumic relaxation time in the AS group compared to controls. Mean filtered P-wave duration (PWD) in AS was similar to that of controls. However, PWD in AS patients was positively correlated with left atrial dimension and acceleration rate of the A wave and negatively correlated with E and E/A ratio. In conclusion, cardiac involvement may be seen in AS patients in the absence of clinical manifestations. Echocardiographic examination of diastolic function can be used in this asymptomatic period. Further studies are needed to clarify the prognostic significance of diastolic abnormalities and the value of P-wave analysis in cardiac evaluation of these patients.

Soy protein diet significantly improves endothelial function and lipid parameters.

BACKGROUND: Replacement of animal protein with soy protein in the diet is associated with decreased cholesterol levels. However, the effects of soy protein diet on endothelial function are not well known. HYPOTHESIS: The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of soy protein diet on plasma lipids and endothelial function parameters assessed by two different methods. METHODS: Twenty hypercholesterolemic, nonsmoker male patients (age 50.1+/-11.8 years), with a normal body mass index, were included. After calculating their daily requirements, a diet with 25-30% of energy from fats. 10-12% from proteins, and the rest from carbohydrates was instituted. Sixty percent of the animal source proteins of the diet were substituted by soy. The anthropometric measures, lipid parameters, and endothelial functions of the subjects were assessed at baseline and 6 weeks after soy protein diet. Flow-mediated endothelium-dependent dilatation (EDD) and plasma thrombomodulin (TM) levels were evaluated as endothelial function parameters. RESULTS: After diet, plasma total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and triglyceride levels decreased significantly (p <0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.039, and p = 0.001, respectively). The mean plasma TM levels were also significantly reduced with diet (p = 0.004). Studies of the brachial artery indicated a borderline dilatation in baseline brachial artery diameter (p = 0.05), however the diameter at reactive hyperemia was significantly larger after diet (p<0.001), resulting in a significant improvement of EDD (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Soy protein diet significantly improves plasma lipid profile in patients with hypercholesterolemia. Furthermore, the endothelial function, as judged by two different methods (EDD and plasma TM levels), also improves with soy protein diet.

Effect of balloon-induced acute ischaemia on P wave dispersion during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

AIMS: P wave dispersion is a recent ECG marker that reflects discontinuous and inhomogeneous conduction of sinus impulses, which has been studied in a limited number of cardiac conditions. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of angioplasty induced-ischaemia on atrial conduction abnormalities as estimated by P maximum and P dispersion. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study consisted of 67 consecutive patients (41 men, mean age 58 +/- 11 years) with 1-vessel coronary artery disease who underwent elective single vessel coronary angioplasty (left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery in 28 patients, the right coronary artery (RCA) in 22 patients and the left circumflex coronary artery (LCx) in 17 patients. All patients underwent 12-lead surface ECG before the first inflation (baseline) and then 60 s after intra-coronary balloon inflation. The maximum P wave duration, the minimum P wave duration, and P wave dispersion (Pd=Pmax - Pmin) were calculated from 12-lead surface ECGs. Baseline P wave duration measurements were not significantly different among the patients with LAD, RCA and LCx coronary artery disease (P>0.05). P dispersion and P maximum were significantly higher during balloon occlusion compared with the baseline condition in all three types of coronary dilatation procedures. However, P minimum was not found to differ between baseline and during balloon occlusion (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The prolongation of P wave dispersion may be a useful and simple additional marker for myocardial ischaemia.

Extent of coronary atherosclerosis and homocysteine affect endothelial markers.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of the presence, extent, and clinical stability of coronary artery disease on endothelial function parameters, C-reactive protein and homocysteine levels. Fifty-eight patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease and 25 patients with normal coronary arteries were evaluated for risk factors, plasma homocysteine, C-reactive protein, and soluble adhesion molecule levels. Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and sE-selectin were significantly higher in the group with coronary artery disease than in healthy subjects (p = 0.005 and p = 0.031, respectively). Patients with unstable angina had significantly higher C-reactive protein (p < 0.001), troponin I (p < 0.01), and leukocyte counts (p < 0.05) than those with stable angina. sE-selectin levels were correlated with the extent of coronary atherosclerosis (r = 0.444, p < 0.05), and plasma homocysteine levels were associated with vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (r = 0.479, p < 0.05) in unstable cases. These results suggest that vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and sE-selectin are useful for determining the presence of coronary atherosclerosis, whereas C-reactive protein, troponin 1, and leukocyte count are predictors of clinical stability.

What is the optimal evaluation time of the QT dispersion after acute myocardial infarction for the risk stratification?

The sequential changes of the corrected QT dispersion (QTcD) were studied in 136 patients 1 day to 30 days after a transmural acute myocardial infarction (AMI) to investigate the optimal measurement time of QT dispersion for risk stratification. The study group included 136 patients (89 men; mean age, 57+/-10 years) with transmural AMI who were treated with thrombolytics (Tr+ group, n = 73) or not (Tr- group, n = 63) and 65 healthy controls (43 men; mean age, 56+/-7 years). Fourteen patients in whom ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF), or sudden cardiac death developed during the 30-day period were also evaluated as major cardiac arrhythmia (MCA) group. ECGs were obtained for each patient on days 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, and 30 after AMI. QTc dispersion in patients with AMI (for every period of QTcD after MI) was significantly more prolonged than in normal controls (49.3+/-16.3 ms) (p<0.001). QTcD was significantly greater in patients without thrombolytics than in patients with thrombolytics for every period (days 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, and 30) of QTcD after MI (p<0.001). The mean of QTcD was significantly greater in patients with MCA than in patients without MCA group for every period (days 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, and 30) of QTcD after MI (p < 0.05). Maximal QTcD was seen on day 10 (p < 0.05 1st vs day 10 for each group) after myocardial infarction, and then reached a plateau for an each group. The ideal time to measure the QTD for risk stratification is at least 10 days after AMI.

No evidence of cardiac autonomic involvement in ankylosing spondylitis, as assessed by heart rate variability.

The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of autonomic nervous system (ANS) function by using power spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) method in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The study included 94 AS patients all fulfilling the New York criteria for AS, and 49 healthy volunteers. Recordings for HRV were obtained with a PC-based high-resolution electrocardiographic system and analysed using power spectral analysis. The peak around 0.04-0.15 Hz was defined as low-frequency peak (LF) and the other, around 0. 15-0.40 Hz, was defined as high-frequency peak (HF), representing mostly the sympathetic and the parasympathetic components of the ANS, respectively. The following variables were calculated and compared between groups: the LF in absolute and normalised units (LF nU); the HF in absolute and normalised units (HF nU); and LF/HF ratio. The AS group included 47 male and 47 female subjects with a mean age of 33 +/- 11 years (range 16-64). In the control group there were 23 male and 26 female healthy subjects (mean age 33 +/- 8; range 19-60). None of the patients or control subjects had any cardiac or neurological symptoms. Both groups were similar with respect to age and sex characteristics (p > 0.05). The HRV analysis indicated that the peaks of LF, LF nU, HF, HF nU and LF/HF ratio were similar in both groups. Groups also did not differ with respect to heart rate at the time of examination. Our data demonstrated no evidence of ANS involvement as assessed by HRV analysis in AS patients.

The diagnostic value of 12-lead electrocardiogram in predicting infarct-related artery and right ventricular involvement in acute inferior myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive value of presentation and 24-hour electrocardiograms in defining the infarct-related artery (IRA), its lesion segment, and the right ventricular involvement in acute inferior myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: One hundred forty-nine patients with acute inferior MI were included. Infarct-related artery, its lesion segment, and the validity of new ECG criteria for the diagnosis of right ventricular MI (RVMI) were investigated by means of criteria obtained from admission and 24- hour ECGs. RESULTS: The presence of ST-segment elevation in lead III > lead II criterion (Criterion 1) and ST-segment depression in lead I > lead aVL criterion (Criterion 2) from admission ECG defined the right coronary artery (RCA) as IRA with a sensitivity of 64% and a specificity of 100%. These two criteria also defined the proximal or mid lesions in RCA as culprit lesions (sensitivity of 99%, specificity of 96%). Absence of these two criteria indicated Cx as IRA with a sensitivity of 50% and a specificity of 97%. The depth of Q wave in lead III > lead II criterion (Criterion 3) had no value for discrimination of IRA, but the width of Q wave in lead III > lead II criterion (Criterion 4) supported the RCA to be IRA with a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 61% (Criteria 3 and 4 were obtained from 24-hour ECGs). The finding of Criterion 1 plus Criterion 5 (ST elevation in V(1) but no ST elevation in V2) on admission ECG had a sensitivity of 63% and a specificity of 99% in the diagnosis of RVMI. CONCLUSION: We concluded that 12-lead ECG is a cheap, easy, and readily obtainable diagnostic approach in discrimination of IRA and its culprit lesion segment. However, despite high specificity, due to moderate degree sensitivity, its value for the diagnosis of RVMI is questionable.

A retrospective review of 228 episodes of infective endocarditis where rheumatic valvular disease is still common.

Two hundred and twenty-eight episodes of infective endocarditis in adult patients (mean age 36 years) were reviewed retrospectively. There were 183 episodes (80%) of native valve, 15 (7%) early prosthetic valve and 30 (13%) late prosthetic valve endocarditis. The most common predisposing factor was rheumatic valvular disease (65%). None of the patients were intravenous drug users. According to the Duke criteria, the number of definite, probable and rejected episodes were 121 (53%), 94 (41%) and 13 (6%), respectively. Additional minor criteria increased the number of definite endocarditis to 82%. The Duke criteria are not primarily intended to influence treatment decisions but are helpful in standardising research activities. The choice of the level of sensitivity or specificity of the criteria may be adjusted according to the aim of the study and prevalence of disease in a particular area. More sensitive criteria may be valuable in those countries where the prevalence of rheumatic valvular disease is still high.

Percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy for patients with malignant pericardial effusion including three malignant pleural mesotheliomas.

Ten patients were enrolled in this study to evaluate the therapeutic value of percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy in patients with symptomatic pericardial effusion secondary to malignant diseases. Four patients had breast cancer; 2 had lung cancer; 1 had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; and 3 had malignant pleural mesothelioma, which is commonly seen in Central Anatolian region of Turkey. All patients underwent percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy with monofoil balloons (Mansfield, NuMed). No complication was seen during these procedures. In 3 patients, the balloon could not be expanded completely and was entered from a more lateral position by a second puncture. There was no recurrence of pericardial effusion in 6 of 7 patients without mesothelioma. After percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy, surgical subxiphoid windowing was performed due to drainage greater than 100 mL/day in a patient with lung cancer and in 1 patient with mesothelioma. In the other 2 patients with mesothelioma, recurrence of pericardial effusion was seen and then subxiphoid surgical windowing was performed due to development of cardiac tamponade in 1 of them. All the patients died 68.6 +/- 36 days later due to the primary malignancies. The survival time of patients with mesothelioma was shorter than that of the others (p < 0.05). These results suggest that percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy may be used in the treatment of patients with malignant pericardial effusion as an alternative to surgical pericardial window creation. But in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, the success rate of this procedure was lower than that of the others.

Echocardiographic evaluation of left and right ventricular diastolic function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on left ventricular and right ventricular diastolic and systolic functions. Forty-eight patients with severe COPD were studied. Patients were divided into 2 subgroups according to pulmonary artery pressures: 25 patients with pulmonary hypertension (group 1) and 23 patients with normal pulmonary artery pressure (group 2). As a control group, 59 normal subjects were studied (group 3). Patients in group 1 had higher tricuspid peak A velocity, lower tricuspid E velocity, longer isovolumetric relaxation time, higher mitral A wave, lower mitral E wave, and slower color propagation velocity than groups 2 and 3. There was no significant difference between left ventricular diastolic filling parameters between groups 2 and 3. Patients with COPD and pulmonary hypertension have left and right ventricular diastolic dysfunction. However, patients with COPD and normal pulmonary artery pressure have normal left and right ventricular diastolic function.

Acute anterior myocardial infarction following a mild nonpenetrating chest trauma--a case report.

Myocardial infarction in patients under age 45 years is a relatively unusual phenomenon; blunt chest trauma is one of the nonatherosclerotic mechanisms leading to acute myocardial infarction in young adults. The authors report a rare case of anterior myocardial infarction in a 22-year-old man following a mild nonpenetrating chest trauma whose left chest was elbowed during a soccer game.

Hydatid cyst of the heart as a rare cause of embolization: report of 5 cases and review of published reports.

Cardiac hydatid cyst is seen infrequently, even in regions where hydatid cysts are endemic. We report 5 cases of cardiac hydatid cysts, which were diagnosed after an embolic event.

Increased plasma levels of soluble selectins in patients with unstable angina.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of unstable angina. Adhesion molecules, such as selectins, mediate the interactions between leukocytes, platelets and endothelial cells during inflammation and thrombogenesis. HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to determine whether soluble E-selectin, P-selectin and L-selectin levels are increased in patients with unstable angina (UA). METHODS: Soluble E-, P- and L-selectin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay in the peripheral blood of 23 patients with UA, 26 patients with stable angina (SA) and 15 control patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries. RESULTS: Soluble E-selectin levels were significantly higher in patients with UA (45+/-11 ng/ml) than in controls (30+/-8 ng/ml, P<0.001), or patients with SA (34+/-8 ng/ml, P=0.001). Similarly, plasma levels of P- and L-selectin were significantly higher in patients with UA (427+/-144 and 772+/-160 ng/ml, respectively) than in patients with SA (278+/-79 and 643+/-94 ng/ml, respectively, P<0.005 vs. UA for both), or control patients (189+/-43 and 601+/-126 ng/ml, respectively, P=0.001 vs. UA for both). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma levels of soluble selectins were increased in patients with UA compared with patients with SA or patients without angiographically visible coronary artery disease. Measurements of these adhesion molecules may be helpful as non-invasive markers of coronary plaque destabilization in UA.

Verapamil SR and trandolapril combination therapy is safe and effective in hypertensive patients with metabolic disorders.

Verapamil SR (180 mg) plus trandolapril (2 mg) is a potent antihypertensive combination but the efficacy and safety of this treatment has not been studied fully in hypertensive patients with metabolic disorders. We enrolled 298 patients with mild to moderate hypertension who had at least one of the following disorders: diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolaemia or mild renal failure. The sitting systolic pressure and diastolic blood pressures were significantly decreased after 12 weeks of treatment. Blood pressure was inadequately controlled in only 24 patients (8.8%). Progressive decreases in blood glucose, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and triglyceride levels were observed during the study. There was no significant change in blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and transaminase levels (p > 0.05). There was a significant decrease in microalbuminuria levels. There was no significant change in glycosylated haemoglobin levels in diabetic patients. Verapamil SR plus trandolapril is an effective drug combination in the treatment of hypertension. It may be used safely in patients with diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia and mild renal failure.

Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori DNA in human atherosclerotic plaques by PCR.

Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori can cause persistent infections of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, respectively. It has been suggested that persistent infection of arteries with these bacteria can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. The aims of this study were to determine the presence of C. pneumoniae and H. pylori DNA in atherosclerotic plaque samples by PCR and to evaluate the correlation between clinical status and DNA positivity of these bacteria. Eighty-five consecutive patients (mean age, 59 +/- 10; 75 male, 10 female) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, carotid endarterectomy, and surgery of the abdominal aorta for atherosclerotic obstructive lesions were included in the study. Forty-six endarterectomy specimens from the atherosclerotic lesions and 39 specimens from healthy regions of the ascending aorta, which were accepted as the control group, were excised. The presence of microorganism DNA in endarterectomy specimens was assessed by PCR. C. pneumoniae DNA was found in 12 (26%) of 46 endarterectomy specimens and none of the healthy vascular-wall specimens (P < 0.001), while H. pylori DNA was found in 17 (37%) of 46 endarterectomy specimens and none of the controls (P < 0.001). Either C. pneumoniae or H. pylori DNA was positive in 23 (50%) of 46 patients and none of the controls (P < 0. 001). Six of the atherosclerotic lesions showed coexistence of both of the microorganism DNAs. The presence of C. pneumoniae and H. pylori DNA in a considerable number of atherosclerotic plaques but their absence in healthy vascular wall supports the idea that they may have a role in the development of atherosclerosis, especially in countries where infection is prevalent and where conventional risk factors fail to explain the high prevalence of atherosclerotic vascular disease.

QT dispersion as a predictor of arrhythmic events in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate QT dispersion (QTd), an indicator of repolarization heterogeneity, and its relation to ventricular arrhythmias in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: A full history, clinical examination, electrocardiograms and 24-h Holter monitoring were performed in 88 AS patients and 31 volunteers of similar age and sex. Groups were compared based on electrocardiographic abnormality, QTd, arrhythmias and heart blocks. RESULTS: QTd and corrected QTd (QTcd) were significantly greater in AS patients than controls (QTd, 52.8 +/- 15.1 vs 35.5 +/- 8.9 ms, P: < 0.0001; QTcd, 60.3 +/- 16.1 vs 39.4 +/- 10.7 ms, P: < 0.0001). The magnitudes of these parameters were associated with the duration of the disease (QTd, r = 0.56, P: < 0.01; QTcd, r = 0.60, P: < 0.001). The frequency of ventricular extrasystoles was found to be correlated with QTd (r = 0.35, P: < 0.01) and QTcd (r = 0.33, P: < 0. 01). CONCLUSION: Involvement of the heart may be seen in AS during the early clinical course of the disease. QTd may give clues about the presence of arrhythmias and can be used as a new technique for the evaluation of asymptomatic patients. Earlier detection of cardiac involvement could alter the prognosis of the patients.

P wave dispersion on 12-lead electrocardiography in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

The prolongation of intraatrial and interatrial conduction time and the inhomogeneous propagation of sinus impulses have been shown in patients with atrial fibrillation. Recently P wave dispersion (PWD), which is believed to reflect inhomogeneous atrial conduction, has been proposed as being useful for the prediction of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Ninety consecutive patients (46 men, 44 women; aged 55 +/- 13 years) with a history of idiopathic PAF and 70 healthy subjects (42 men, 28 women; mean age 53 +/- 14 years) were studied. The P wave duration was calculated in all 12 leads of the surface ECG. The difference between the maximum and minimum P wave duration was calculated and this difference was defined as P wave dispersion (PWD = Pmax-Pmin). All patients and controls were also evaluated by echocardiography to measure the left atrial diameter and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). There was no difference between patients and controls in gender (P = 0.26), age (P = 0.12), LVEF (66 +/- 4% vs 67 +/- 5%, P = 0.8) and left atrial diameter (36 +/- 4 mm vs 34 +/- 6 mm, P = 0.13). P maximum duration was found to be significantly higher in patients with a history of PAF (116 +/- 17 ms) than controls (101 +/- 11 ms, P < 0.001). P wave dispersion was also significantly higher in patients than in controls (44 +/- 15 ms vs 27 +/- 10 ms, P < 0.001). There was a weak correlation between age and P wave dispersion (r = 0.27, P < 0.001). A P maximum value of 106 ms separated patients with PAF from control subjects with a sensitivity of 83%, a specificity of 72%, and a positive predictive accuracy of 79%. A P wave dispersion value of 36 ms separated patients from control subjects with a sensitivity of 77%, a specificity of 82%, and a positive predictive accuracy of 85%. In conclusion, P maximum duration and P wave dispersion calculated on a standard surface ECG are simple ECG markers that could be used to identify the patients with idiopathic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.