Early atrial ectopic beats and atrial conduction delay predict atrial fibrillationŠinkovec, Matjaž (Avtor) Antolič, Bor (Avtor) Rauber, Martin (Avtor) Ambrožič, Jana (Avtor) Cvijić, Marta (Avtor) Klemen, Luka (Avtor) Žižek, David (Avtor) Toplišek, Janez (Avtor) Pernat, Andrej (Avtor) atrijska fibrilacijamotnje srčnega ritmapreddvorni ektopični utripielektrokardiogramholtersko monitoriranjeBackground: Atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFl) is commonly diagnosed arrhythmia, associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Therefore, we have to improve our early AF/AFl diagnostics. Several studies indicated association between conduction delay, excessive atrial ectopic beats (AEBs) and AF/AFl onset. Association with some other AEB features is less clear. Objective: To validate the role of early AEBs from Holter-ECG in relation to documented AF/AFl events. Methods and Results: We enrolled 14 consecutive patients (6 female, median 60.5 years) with documented AF/AFl during or within 6 months after Holter-ECG (AF-group). Control group consisted of 10 clinically similar consecutive patients (5 female, median 64.5 years), without any evidence of AF/AFl, but with comparable burden of AEBs. Holter-ECGs were examined with 3-channel Holter system (Schiller, Darwin2 software). 24-hour data were analyzed for number and/or burden (%) of: a) AF/AFl, b) AEBs, c) early-AEBs (coupling interval cut-off <530 ms), d) AEB pairs, triplets, runs, and e) bigeminy. In addition, P-wave duration (cut-off <130 ms), PQ, QRS, and QTc were measured. AF-group had higher burden of early-AEBs (p<0.03) and longer P-waves (p<0.05) than controls. In both groups, non-conducted and aberrantly-conducted early-AEBs, AEBs in bigeminy, pairs, triplets and runs were found, as-well-as no difference for PQ, QRS, and QTc (p=NS). The majority of 243 AF/AFl events started during day-time and in 83% with early-AEBs. Before AF onset, outbursts of early-AEBs were encountered in 58% of patients.20252026-07-01 11:16:02Članek v reviji184186sl