Key result
Female sex was associated with a significantly longer delay in PQ interval adaptation to heart rate changes compared to male sex (114.9 vs 65.4 seconds, p < 0.00001).
Why the study?
The PQ interval is known to be moderately heart rate dependent, but physiologic details of this dependency have not been established.
What is the physiologic heart rate dependency of the PQ interval and how does it differ by sex in healthy subjects?
Population
599 healthy subjects (aged 33.5 ± 9.3 years, 288 females)
Comparison
Females vs males
Design
Observational ECG Holter study
Authors
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May require sex-specific PQ norms in ECG research; leaves open clinical relevance for atrial assessment.
Observational (n=599)
Yes
What is the physiologic heart rate dependency of the PQ interval and how does it differ by sex in healthy subjects?
Absolute Event Rate: 114.9% vs 65.4%
p-value: p=<0.00001
The PQ interval exhibits highly curvilinear heart rate dependency and significant sex differences in adaptation delay, suggesting these parameters should be considered in non-invasive assessments of atrial abnormalities.
Toman et al. (2020) conducted an observational in Healthy subjects (n=599). Female sex vs. Male sex was evaluated on PQ interval adaptation delay to heart rate changes (95% adaptation time) (p=<0.00001). Female sex was associated with a significantly longer delay in PQ interval adaptation to heart rate changes compared to male sex (114.9 vs 65.4 seconds, p < 0.00001).
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