Key result
Female sex was associated with a significantly higher mean heart rate at the onset of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation compared to male sex (123 vs 115 beats/min, P=0.02).
Why the study?
Do age and gender influence the heart rate and duration of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation episodes?
Observational (n=32)
Do age and gender influence the heart rate and duration of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation episodes?
Absolute Event Rate: 123% vs 115%
p-value: p=0.02
Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation episodes are associated with faster heart rates and tend to last longer in women, while older patients exhibit slower ventricular rates.
Hypothesis-generating for sex differences in paroxysmal AF; prospective studies needed before influencing rate-control strategies.
UNLABELLED: The influence of age and gender on the character of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAD) has not been described. METHODS: The heart rate (HR) during PAF in patients receiving placebo or antiarrhythmic therapy was analyzed. Data from 177 24-hour Holter recordings were analyzed to mark the onset and termination of PAF and converted into RR interval files. PAF episodes lasting at least 2 minutes and containing < or = 20% noise were included. HR during the first 30-second segment versus during the remainder of the episode, and the duration of PAF episodes were compared among groups of different ages and sex (Wilcoxon test). RESULTS: 236 episodes from 55 recordings in 32 patients (all patients: 61.4 +/- 12.8 years; men (19): 58.5 +/- 12.6 years; women (13) 65.5 +/- 12.4 years, P = ns for difference in age) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Women had a higher mean heart rate at AF onset (123 +/- 35 beats/min vs 115 +/- 20 beats/min, P = 0.02) and during the remainder of the episode (120 +/- 25 beats/min vs 112 +/- 22 beats/min at the start, P = 0.01, and 116 +/- 26 beats/min vs 108 +/- 18 beats/min subsequently, P = 0.01). Episodes tended to be longer in women (mean 89.8 min vs 50.5 min, P = NS) and in the aged (mean 83.8 min vs 46.9 min, P = NS). CONCLUSION: PAF episodes are associated with faster heart rates and last longer in women, which may reflect differing autonomic responses to AF. A slower ventricular rate during PAF in older patients probably reflects an increasing prevalence of impaired atrioventricular conduction.
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Hnatkova et al. (1998) conducted an observational in Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (n=32). Female sex vs. Male sex was evaluated on Mean heart rate at AF onset (p=0.02). Female sex was associated with a significantly higher mean heart rate at the onset of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation compared to male sex (123 vs 115 beats/min, P=0.02).
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