Atrial conduction time, and left atrial mechanical and electromechanical functions in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: interatrial conduction delay

BACKGROUND Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders of women during the reproductive period. Cardiovascular risk factors are more frequent in patients with PCOS. We aimed to investigate the P-wave dispersion (Pd), inter- and intra-atrial conduction time and mechanical functions of the left atrium (LA) in patients with PCOS. METHODS Forty-eight patients with PCOS and 38 normal healthy women were enrolled in this study. A 12-lead surface electrocardiogram was used to evaluate Pd. Left ventricular (LV) functions were measured using conventional and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) methods. Inter- and intra-atrial conduction times were measured by TDI. LA volumes were measured echocardiographically with the biplane area-length method from the apical four-chamber view. RESULTS Heart rate (82.02 ± 13.15 vs 74.24 ± 11.02 bpm, p = 0.014) and Pd were significantly increased in the PCOS patients [27 ± 5 vs 24 ± 6 ms, p = 0.035]. Transmitral E/A ratio was significantly lower in the PCOS patients than in the controls (1.5 ± 0.3 vs 1.7 ± 0.4 m/s, p = 0.023). Passive emptying volume (12.54 ± 4.39 vs 15.28 ± 3.85 ml/m(2), p = 0.004) and passive emptying fraction [54.4 (21-69) vs 59.1% (28-74), p = 0.008] were significantly decreased in PCOS patients. Total emptying volume was significantly decreased (17.9 ± 5.49 vs 20.67 ± 4.29 ml/m(2), p = 0.018) in PCOS patients. Interatrial (19 ± 7.4 vs 15 ± 6.4 ms, p = 0.035) and intra-atrial [8.5 (1-19) vs 5 ms (1-20), p = 0.026] electromechanical delays were found to be significantly higher in PCOS patients. CONCLUSION This study showed that patients with PCOS had increased inter- and intra-atrial conduction delays, and decreased LA passive emptying volumes and fractions.