Electrocardiographic detection of left atrial enlargement. Correlation of P wave with left atrial dimension by echocardiography

• Published in: British Heart Journal Vol. 37; no. 12; pp. 1281 - 1285
• Main Authors: Chirife, R, Feitosa, G S, Frankl, W S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Cardiovascular Society 01.12.1975; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Cardiomegaly - diagnosis; Cardiomegaly - pathology; Echocardiography; Electrocardiography; Female; Heart Atria; Humans; Male
• ISSN: 0007-0769; 1468-201X; 2053-5864
• DOI: 10.1136/hrt.37.12.1281

The validity of various electrocardiographic P wave measurements was tested in 48 patients by comparing them to left atrial dimensions determined by echocardiography (echo), a proved method of left atrial size estimation. Of all the measurements considered, only the width of the P wave (PW), the P terminal force in lead V1 (PV1), and the PW/PR segment ratio (PW/PR) showed statistically significant correlations with left atrial size measurements by echo, with r values of 0-746, 0-491, and 0-479, respectively. The results indicated that P widths in excess of 105 ms were present in all the patients who had left atria equal to or greater than 3-8 cm by echo and in 11 per cent of patients without atrial enlargement (false positives), and that when measurements were less than 105 ms left atrial enlargement was unlikely.