Long P-wave duration immediately after pulmonary vein isolation on radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation predicts clinical recurrence: correlation with atrial remodeling in persistent atrial fibrillation

P-wave morphology reflects atrial remodeling and indicates prognosis after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for atrial fibrillation (AF). The impact of p-wave morphology after excluding the effect of pulmonary vein (PV) substrate on outcomes is unknown. We evaluated the p-wave morphology on electrocardiography immediately after PV isolation for clinical outcomes. Eighty-four consecutive patients (47 with paroxysmal AF and 37 with persistent AF) who underwent RFCA were included. P-wave duration (PWD) and amplitude in all leads were examined during sinus rhythm immediately after PV isolation. We evaluated the relationship between electrocardiogram parameters and AF recurrence, according to the type of AF and following ablation, and the correlation with left atrial (LA) volume, low voltage ratio, and fixed conduction time. During 12 months of follow-up, 20 patients experienced recurrence. The cut-off value of PWD > 120 ms in lead I showed a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 69% for predicting recurrence. PWD was significantly correlated with LA volume, low voltage, and conduction velocity. Significantly higher recurrence rates were observed in patients with PWD > 120 ms than in those with PWD ≤ 120 ms ( p < 0.001), and the difference was more pronounced in patients with persistent AF. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that PWD > 120 ms was independently associated with recurrence in the total population (hazard ratio 2.00; 95% confidence interval 1.27–3.22; p = 0.003) and in patients with persistent AF. In conclusion, long PWD after PV isolation predicts AF recurrence, which might be associated with the extent of the LA substrate in persistent AF.