Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36454918›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2022

The predictive value of abnormal P-wave axis for the detection of incident atrial fibrillation: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Rahul Kumar Chattopadhyay, Panagiota Anna Chousou, Trisha Mukherjee, Peter John Pugh, Vassilios S Vassiliou

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Electrocardiographic Predictors of Atrial Fibrillation.Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023
    Pooled it
  2. Breastfeeding may shape children's hearts.European journal of clinical nutrition · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Rahul Kumar ChattopadhyayNorwich Medical School University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0001-5949-4381
Panagiota Anna ChousouNorwich Medical School University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom.
Trisha MukherjeeAddenbrookes Hospital Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Peter John PughNorwich Medical School University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom.
Vassilios S VassiliouNorwich Medical School University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-4005-7752
University of East Anglia · GBCambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThere is growing interest in the prediction of incident atrial fibrillation (AF). The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) has been a particularly rich target for possible prediction strategies. PURPOSE: The P-wave axis is an ECG parameter that reflects the dominant vector of atrial depolarisation and is usually 0° -75°. There is a large body of literature suggesting that AF reflects structural and conduction abnormalities of the atria, and thus the P-wave axis may represent a sensitive parameter to detect such changes.

methodsA systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature associating abnormal P-wave axis and the development of incident AF was performed. Electronic databases were systematically searched from inception to October 2021. A random-effects model with generic inverse variance weights was utilised to pool the most adjusted effect measure from each paper. A funnel plot was used to assess publication bias.

resultsAfter excluding duplicate studies, 568 studies were screened. A total of eleven studies were identified that associated an abnormal P-wave axis with the subsequent detection of AF. The eight studies that considered abnormal P-wave axis as being <0° or >75° were pooled for meta-analysis. In the pooled studies a total of 78,222 patients were included with 5656 cases of incident atrial fibrillation identified. The meta-analysis of the studies suggested that an abnormal P-wave axis was associated with a pooled risk ratio of 2.12 (95% CI 1.49 to 3.01) for the detection of incident atrial fibrillation.

conclusionThis comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis, indicates the positive association of abnormal P wave axis and future detection of AF. Utilisation of abnormal P-wave axis, alongside other parameters, may allow clinicians to better risk-stratify individuals at increased risk of AF, and thus identify those who may benefit most from prolonged cardiac monitoring or targeted anticoagulation.

Indexed as

Atrial FibrillationAction PotentialsDatabases, FactualElectrocardiographyHeart AtriaHumans

Identifiers

PMID36454918
PMCPMC9714955
OpenAlexW4310506321

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.