Atrial conduction abnormalities in patients with systemic progressive sclerosis

Atrial abnormalities in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis have not been evaluated in terms of intra-atrial conduction. We hypothesized that a delay in atrial conduction in these patients might produce diastolic abnormalities as well as atrial arrhythmias.

To evaluate the atrial function of patients with progressive systemic sclerosis by using echocardiography to measure the intra-atrial electromechanical activation coupling interval.

Twenty patients with progressive systemic sclerosis were assessed by Doppler echocardiography. Twenty age-matched healthy controls were also evaluated. Two-dimensional guided M-modes of ventricular long axes were recorded using simultaneous phono- and electrocardiograms of the apical four chamber view at the right lateral, septal and left lateral sites of the atrioventricular rings. Transmitral and tricuspid pulsed Doppler flow velocities were also recorded. Filtered P wave duration was measured on the signal averaged ECG to determine the duration of atrial electrical activation.

There was a delay in P on the electrocardiogram (P) at the onset of atrial contraction on long axis M-modes at all three atrioventricular ring sites in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis as compared with controls (P-right; 56 +/- 13 vs 47 +/- 10 ms, P-septal; 74 +/- 14 vs 55 +/- 10 ms, and P-lateral; 93 +/- 16 vs 72 +/- 11 ms, P < 0.01). Inter-atrial conduction time [(P-lateral)-(P-right)] was delayed in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis, compared with healthy controls (37 +/- 15 vs 25 +/- 6 ms, P < 0.01). Mitral A waves acceleration and deceleration times were also decreased in the patients. The interval was prolonged between P to the onset and the peak of the A wave in transmitral flow. Duration of the filtered P wave was significantly prolonged in progressive systemic sclerosis as compared with controls (124 +/- 12 ms vs 106 +/- 8 ms, P < 0.01). PQ intervals, E waves and acceleration and deceleration times did not differ significantly in progressive systemic sclerosis vs, controls. The A wave acceleration rate on transmitral flow (peak A wave velocity/acceleration time) showed a significant correlation with inter-atrial conduction delay (r = 0.55, P < 0.01).

Intra-atrial electromechanical coupling intervals were delayed in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis. Thus, the mechanical late diastolic filling time due to atrial contraction in the total diastolic phase was severely limited, and this resulted in a restricted mitral A wave. We should therefore evaluate patients with progressive systemic sclerosis for significant atrial abnormalities.