EVALUATION OF P WAVE PARAMETERS ON THE ELECTROCARDIOGRAM AS A RISK MARKER FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

Abstract

Objectives: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is responsible for a considerable portion of cardioembolism that accounts for 17% to 30% of the etiologies of all strokes. This article aims to carry out a review investigating the accuracy of P wave parameters in predicting the risk of patients without atrial fibrillation developing this arrhythmia. Methods: We performed a systematic search in BMJB, PubMed/MEDLINE and LILACS. Eight cohort studies met the inclusion criteria, in which they evaluated the role of P wave parameters in predicting the risk of patients without atrial fibrillation developing this arrhythmia. Results: The studies showed that abnormal P wave axis, terminal force in v1, P wave dispersion, P wave duration and PR interval were ECG parameters that showed statistical correlation to predict the risk of developing AF in most studies. Conclusion: The evaluation of electrocardiographic parameters: abnormal P wave axis, terminal force in v1, P wave dispersion, P wave duration and PR interval can serve as a pre-selection tool to identify patients at risk of developing AF in the future. In addition, more robust studies are needed to consolidate this association in medical practice.