Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2935925 | International Journal of Cardiology | 2007 | 7 Pages |
BackgroundThe present study sought to determine the diagnostic value of electrocardiographic voltage criteria in predicting geometry patterns in patients with essential hypertension.MethodsPatients with essential hypertension (n = 125) according to left ventricular mass index and relative wall thickness as determined by echocardiography were assigned in the following groups: normal geometry (N, n = 50), concentric remodeling (CR, n = 12), concentric hypertrophy (CH, n = 28) and eccentric hypertrophy (EH, n = 35). Each patient underwent 12-lead ECG followed by determination of conventional voltage criteria as well as peak to peak QRS lengths in each lead.ResultsVoltage criteria such as Sokolow–Lyon, Cornell, Cornell product > 2440, D1R + D3S > 25 mm, and AVL R > 11 mm could not significantly predict and discriminate geometric patterns of LVH. However, they all were very specific (range 97–100%) and showed very high positive predictive values (range 94–100%) for detecting abnormal geometry. DI peak > 12 mm had a sensitivity 61%, specificity 67%, accuracy 63%, positive predictive value 81%, and negative predictive value 42% in predicting to differentiate CH from CR. Sum of the calculated values from the peak of the R to the nadir of the S wave in all limb leads > 60 mm had sensitivity 68%, specificity 75%, accuracy 70%, positive predictive value 86% and negative predictive value 50% in predicting to differentiate CH from CR.ConclusionsConventional ECG voltage criteria could not significantly discriminate specific geometry patterns observed in patients with essential hypertension.