The Association between the PR Interval and Left Ventricular Measurements in the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Key result
Each 25 ms PR interval increase is linked to ~2 mL higher LV stroke volume.
- MD 2.00 mL
- 95% CI 1.52, 2.48
- n=4,962
Why the study?
Does a prolonged PR interval associate with increased left ventricular mass and stroke volume in adults without clinical cardiovascular disease?
Population
4,962 men and women aged 45-84 years without clinical cardiovascular disease from the Multiethnic Study of…
Comparison
Prolonged PR interval or PR interval as a… vs Normal PR interval (120-200 ms)
Design
Cross-sectional
Authors
Discussion
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Member takes
Implication
May link PR prolongation to subclinical LV remodeling on MRI; leaves open causal role in outcomes and need for longitudinal studies.
Study Design
Type
Cross-Sectional (n=4,962)
Multicenter
Yes
Structured PICO
Does a prolonged PR interval associate with increased left ventricular mass and stroke volume in adults without clinical cardiovascular disease?
P
Population
4,962 multiethnic adults aged 45-84 years without clinical cardiovascular disease, evaluated cross-sectionally for the association between PR interval and left ventricular measurements.
E
Exposure
Prolonged PR interval (>200 ms) or PR interval as a continuous variable (per 25 ms increment) assessed on resting 12-lead ECG
C
Comparator
Normal PR interval (120-200 ms)
O
Outcome
Left ventricular stroke volume, LV mass, LV end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes, and ejection fraction measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imagingsurrogate
Main Result
Mean Difference: 2 (95% CI 1.52–2.48)
A prolonged PR interval is associated with higher left ventricular mass and stroke volume, which may partially explain its link to adverse cardiovascular outcomes like heart failure and atrial fibrillation.
Limitations
- Lack of information on left atrial dimensions and electrolyte abnormalities
- Findings may not be applicable to individuals with established clinical cardiovascular disease
- Associations between PRi and LV dimensions were not strong and could be due to residual confounding
- Cross-sectional design precludes determination of temporal associations
- Information on atrial dimensions and electrolyte abnormalities was not available
Cite This Study
Husby et al. (2015) conducted a cross-sectional in Without clinical cardiovascular disease (n=4,962). PR interval (PRi) vs. Normal PRi (120-200 ms) or per 25 ms increment was evaluated on Left ventricular stroke volume (per 25 ms increment in PR interval) (MD 2.00 mL, 95% CI 1.52, 2.48). Every 25 ms increment in PR interval was associated with a 2.00 mL higher left ventricular stroke volume and a 3.08 g higher left ventricular mass in adults without clinical cardiovascular disease.