Dispersion ECG mapping in assessment of cardiovascular disease prevalence

Abstract

Aim. To evaluate the potential of dispersion ECG mapping (ECG-DM) in diagnosing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and general health problems (GHP) during the screening examination of various population groups. Material and methods. In total, ECG-DM was performed in 1000 Uryupinsk and Uryupinsk Region citizens (537 healthy people, 156 people with GHP, and 307 people with CVD). In 84 participants, ECG-DM was performed before and after a simple stress test (20 squats). Additional examination of 21 CVD patients was performed before Results. An optimal cut-off for separating “norm” and “pathology” was 15 % level of “myocardium” parameter (sensitivity 75,6 %, specificity 80,3 %). For differentiation between CVD and GHP, this parameter had specificity of 58,3 % and sensitivity of 68,4 %. Out of 537 “healthy” people, in 39 (7,3 %) “myocardium” parameter was elevated, and an additional examination revealed CVD. In all participants (n=1000), no correlation between “myocardium” parameter and age, gender, cholesterol, blood pressure, or heart rate levels was observed, which points to its independent value in CVD diagnostics. A combination of ECG-DM and stress test improved sensitivity. Negative changes in ECG-DM parameters after stress test reflect changes in myocardial electrophysiology, and should not be regarded as direct evidence of myocardial ischemia. During the treatment of CVD patients, an improvement in ECG-DM parameters was associated with subjective improvement in patients’ well-being. Conclusion. ECG-DM method could be recommended for various screening programs, to identify people in need for additional examination because of potential CVD and other pathology.

Keywords

• dispersion ecg mapping
• screening examination
• cardiovascular disease
• general health problems