Polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with P-wave prolongation and increased P-wave dispersion

Abstract

Background: The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with various cardiac manifestations including cardiac arrhythmias. P-wave dispersion (P_dis) is an appealing marker for predicting the risk of developing atrial arrhythmias. The purpose of this study was to evaluate P-wave durations and P_dis in patients with PCOS.

Methods: Forty adult patients with PCOS and 46 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were included in this study. P-wave maximum duration (P_max) and P-wave minimum duration (P_min) were calculated on the 12-lead electrocardiogram, and the difference between the P_max and the P_min was defined as P_dis. All individuals also underwent transthoracic echocardiographic evaluation.

Results: P_max and P_dis were significantly higher in patients with PCOS compared with controls (p = 0.007, p < 0.001, respectively). There was no difference in P_min duration between both the groups (p = 0.2). Waist-to-hip ratio, insulin and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were higher in the PCOS group. Early mitral inflow deceleration time (DT) (p < 0.001) and isovolumetric relaxation time (p = 0.003) were longer in PCOS group. Waist-to-hip ratio, DT, E/A ratio and diastolic blood pressure correlated with P_dis.

Conclusions: Patients with PCOS have prolonged P_max and P_dis. The increase in those parameters may be an indicator for identification of patients at increased risk of atrial fibrillation.

• Atrial fibrillation
• polycystic ovary syndrome
• P-wave dispersion