Abstract
Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a hereditary disease characterized by recurrent and self-terminated attacks of fever and polyserositis. A recent study found that FMF patients had an abnormally high P wave duration and P wave dispersion, markers for supraventricular arrhythmogenicity. The aim of our study was to further evaluate atrial dispersion in FMF patients. The study group consisted of 26 patients with uncomplicated FMF and age- and sex-matched control subjects. All participants underwent 12-lead electrocardiography under strict standards. P wave length and P wave dispersion were computed from a randomly selected beat and from an averaged beat constructed from 7 to 12 beats, included in a 10-s ECG. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups in minimal, maximal, and average P wave duration and P wave dispersion calculated either from a random beat or averaged beats. During 6 months of follow-up, no supraventricular arrhythmias were documented in either group. FMF patients who are continuously treated with colchicine and do not develop amyloidosis have normal atrial conduction parameters and therefore seemingly do not have an increased electrocardiographic risk of atrial fibrillation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Onen F (2006) Familial Mediterranean fever. Rheumatol Int 26:489–496
Ben-Chetrit E, Levy M (1998) Familial Mediterranean fever. Lancet 351:659–664
Michelucci A, Bagliani G, Colella A, Pieragnoli P, Porciani MC, Gensini G, Padeletti L (2002) P wave assessment: state of the art update. Card Electrophysiol Rev 6:215–220
Perzanowski C, Ho AT, Jacobson AK (2005) Increased P-wave dispersion predicts recurrent atrial fibrillation after cardioversion. J Electrocardiol 38:43–46
Acar G, Akcay A, Sayarlioglu M, Sokmen A, Sokmen G, Koroglu S, Gunduz M, Ispiroglu M, Tuncer C (2009) Assessment of atrial conduction time in patients with familial Mediterranean fever. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 32:308–313
Livneh A, Langevitz P, Zemer D, Zaks N, Kees S, Lidar T, Migdal A, Padeh S, Pras M (1997) Criteria for the diagnosis of familial Mediterranean fever. Arthritis Rheum 40:1879–1885
Kose S, Aytemir K, Can I, Iyisoy A, Kilic A, Amasyali B, Kursaklioglu H, Isik E, Oto A, Demirtas E (2002) Seasonal variation of P-wave dispersion in healthy subjects. J Electrocardiol 35:307–311
Gasparyan AY, Ugurlucan M (2008) The emerging issue of cardiovascular involvement in familial Mediterranean fever. Arch Med Sci 4:465–467
Yuksel S, Ayvazyan L, Gasparyan AY (2010) Familial Mediterranean fever as an emerging clinical model of atherogenesis associated with low-grade inflammation. Open Cardiovasc Med J 4:51–56
Nussinovitch N, Livneh A, Katz K, Langevitz P, Feld O, Nussinovitch M, Volovitz B, Lidar M, Nussinovitch U (2009) Heart rate variability in familial Mediterranean fever. Rheumatol Int
Livneh A, Zemer D, Langevitz P, Laor A, Sohar E, Pras M (1994) Colchicine treatment of AA amyloidosis of familial Mediterranean fever. An analysis of factors affecting outcome. Arthritis Rheum 37:1804–1811
Acknowledgments
We thank Gloria Ginzach and Phyllis Curchack Kornspan for their editorial assistance.
Conflict of interest statement
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Naomi Nussinovitch and Avi Livneh have contributed equally to this work.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nussinovitch, N., Livneh, A., Katz, K. et al. P wave dispersion in familial Mediterranean fever. Rheumatol Int 31, 1591–1594 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-010-1508-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-010-1508-0