P-wave duration is a predictor for long-term mortality in post-CABG patients

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Electrophysiology
• Preventive Medicine

Background:

• Risk stratification is crucial for secondary prevention in chronic coronary artery disease (CAD).
• P-wave indices reflect atrial conduction and myocardial remodeling, potential markers for adverse outcomes.
• Current methods for risk assessment in post-CABG patients may not fully capture residual risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the predictive value of P-wave indices for estimating residual risk in patients with chronic CAD.
• To determine if P-wave duration can identify patients at higher risk of long-term mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 520 post-CABG patients was followed for a median of 1025 days.
• The primary endpoint was long-term all-cause death.
• Cubic spline and Cox stepwise regression models were used to analyze the association between P-wave duration and mortality.

Main Results:

• A linear association was found between P-wave duration and the incidence rate of long-term all-cause death (p = 0.023).
• P-wave duration >110ms was associated with significantly shorter survival compared to P-wave <80ms (Logrank p = 0.020).
• P-wave duration was identified as an independent predictor of mortality (HR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.05-1.79, p = 0.023).

Conclusions:

• P-wave measurement is a simple, inexpensive, and accessible prognostic tool for bedside risk estimation in CAD patients.
• Incorporating P-wave analysis into risk assessment may improve secondary prevention strategies.
• This simple electrocardiographic marker can help identify patients requiring closer monitoring and tailored interventions.