Electrocardiogram as a Tool to Predict Diastolic Dysfunction in the Early Hypertensive Patients and its Comparison in Males and Females

Objectives: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction continues to be a major healthcare challenge. Assessment of diastolic dysfunction (DD) is an integral part of the routine cardiologic examination, however little is known about ECG changes in diastolic dysfunction. several resting ECG parameters have been investigated to predict left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD). The study aims to assess diastolic dysfunction in recently diagnosed hypertensive patients by echocardiography and to find the value of ECG-derived parameters in predicting diastolic dysfunction. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty hypertensive patients of less than 1-year duration were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of diastolic dysfunction. ECG parameters such as P wave dispersion, QT and QTc interval, ventricular activation time, Tend P, Tend Q were analyzed in all patients, and correlation was done with echo parameters to assess diastolic dysfunction in both males and females. Results: In both men and women a significant correlation was found between p wave dispersion, ventricular activation time, Corrected QT interval, TendP, and, Tend Q in ECG with diastolic dysfunction on bivariate regression analysis. Multivariate regression analysis showed that p wave dispersion had a greater correlation with diastolic dysfunction when compared with other ECG parameters (r=0.88, R2=0.78). Conclusion: Analysis of certain ECG parameters especially p wave dispersion is of great value in predicting diastolic dysfunction in both men and women.