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Updated: Jan 4, 2026

Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: July 20, 2022
The effect of diabetic autonomic neuropathy on P-wave duration, dispersion and atrial fibrillation
Andrzej Bissinger1, Tomasz Grycewicz, Wlodzimierz Grabowicz
1Department of Invasive Cardiology and Cardiodiabetology, Medical University, Lodz, Poland.
Introduction:
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia. Diabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN) is a frequent complication of diabetes mellitus and has a negative impact on the cardiovascular system. There are no data about the occurrence of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) in the population with DAN.
Material And Methods:
We analysed the data of 100 patients with PAF. The study population was divided into three groups: group I: 28 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and DAN, group II: 34 patients with DM without DAN, and group III: 38 patients without DM. P-wave duration (FPD) and dispersion (PWD) were measured during sinus rhythm and AF episodes were counted during 12 months of follow-up.
Results:
Recurrence of PAF was higher in group I (47 episodes/year) compared to groups II and III (26 and 22 episodes/year) - p<0.01. The FPD was longer in group I (137.4 ±12.0 ms vs. 126 ±23.0 ms in II group and 129 ±18.3 ms in group III; p<0.001). The PWD was longer in patients with DAN (53 ±19 ms vs. 36 ±18 ms and 34 ± 20 ms, p<0.001).
Conclusions:
The results showed that the presence of DAN caused a significant increase in P-wave duration and dispersion, which might be responsible for the recurrence of AF.
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