RISK PREDICTION FOR ARRHYTHMIA IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Pulmonology
• Electrophysiology

Background:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with cardiovascular complications.
• Atrial and ventricular arrhythmias are common in COPD patients.
• Non-invasive markers for assessing arrhythmia risk in COPD are needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate P-wave dispersion (PwD) and corrected QT interval dispersion (cQTD) in COPD patients.
• To investigate atrial electromechanical delay (EMD) in COPD.
• To assess the relationship between these electrophysiological parameters and COPD severity.

Main Methods:

• Prospective enrollment of 53 newly diagnosed COPD patients and 51 age-matched healthy controls.
• Standard 12-lead electrocardiogram analysis for PwD and cQTD.
• Echocardiographic tissue Doppler imaging for atrial electromechanical delay (inter- and intra-atrial EMD).

Main Results:

• COPD patients showed significantly higher PwD and cQTD compared to controls.
• PwD was significantly higher in severe COPD patients.
• Atrial electromechanical delay (inter- and intra-atrial EMD) was prolonged in COPD patients.
• Negative correlations were found between FEV1 and PwD, EMD, and cQTD.

Conclusions:

• Atrial conduction time, PwD, and cQTD are prolonged in COPD patients and correlate with disease severity.
• These parameters serve as non-invasive, cost-effective markers for identifying COPD patients at high risk of arrhythmia.
• Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings.