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Vol 27, No 4 (2023)
Original paper
Published online: 2023-09-11
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Evaluation of sensitivity and specificity of ECG left ventricular hypertrophy criteria in obese and hypertensive patients

Szymon Salamaga1, Iwona Juszczyk1, Franciszek Dydowicz1, Mateusz Matyjasek1, Agnieszka Turowska1, Dawid Lipski1, Regina Pawlak-Chomicka1, Andrzej Tykarski1, Paweł Uruski1
DOI: 10.5603/ah.96273
·
Arterial Hypertension 2023;27(4):223-231.
Affiliations
  1. Department of Hypertensiology, Angiology and Internal Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

open access

Vol 27, No 4 (2023)
ORIGINAL PAPERS
Published online: 2023-09-11

Abstract

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular events. Even though, there are many electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria for LVH, they still provide poor performance, especially among obese patients. The aim of this study was to examine the sensitivity and specificity in obese and nonobese patients, with obesity defined using body mass index (BMI), visceral fat level (VFATL) and waist hip ratio (WHR).

Material and methods: Overall, 1722 patients were included in the study. All patients underwent complete physical examination, office blood pressure measurement, analysis of body composition, 12-lead ECG, M-mode two-dimensional echocardiography. Six standard ECG criteria for LVH were analyzed, including: Cornell voltage criteria, Cornell duration criteria, Sokolow- Lyon voltage criteria, Sokolow-Lyon product criteria, R I + S III and R wave of aVL. Sensitivity and specificity of those criteria was evaluated for patients with and without obesity. Transthoracic echocardiography was used as a reference method to detect LVH.

Results: In obese patients, Cornell duration criteria showed the best performance and should be used in detecting LVH. Increased amount of adipose tissue and presence of obesity, defined by different indicators, decreased sensitivity and specificity values of ECG criteria; however, only several criteria showed statistical significance. Sokolov-Lyon voltage and Cornel voltage were evaluated to have good sensitivity in nonobese women patients, but their performance was insufficient in obese women.

Conclusion: LVH should not be diagnosed using ECG criteria without assessment of patients obesity. Preferred parameter, from discussed in this study, to assess patients obesity is VFATL.

Abstract

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular events. Even though, there are many electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria for LVH, they still provide poor performance, especially among obese patients. The aim of this study was to examine the sensitivity and specificity in obese and nonobese patients, with obesity defined using body mass index (BMI), visceral fat level (VFATL) and waist hip ratio (WHR).

Material and methods: Overall, 1722 patients were included in the study. All patients underwent complete physical examination, office blood pressure measurement, analysis of body composition, 12-lead ECG, M-mode two-dimensional echocardiography. Six standard ECG criteria for LVH were analyzed, including: Cornell voltage criteria, Cornell duration criteria, Sokolow- Lyon voltage criteria, Sokolow-Lyon product criteria, R I + S III and R wave of aVL. Sensitivity and specificity of those criteria was evaluated for patients with and without obesity. Transthoracic echocardiography was used as a reference method to detect LVH.

Results: In obese patients, Cornell duration criteria showed the best performance and should be used in detecting LVH. Increased amount of adipose tissue and presence of obesity, defined by different indicators, decreased sensitivity and specificity values of ECG criteria; however, only several criteria showed statistical significance. Sokolov-Lyon voltage and Cornel voltage were evaluated to have good sensitivity in nonobese women patients, but their performance was insufficient in obese women.

Conclusion: LVH should not be diagnosed using ECG criteria without assessment of patients obesity. Preferred parameter, from discussed in this study, to assess patients obesity is VFATL.

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Keywords

obesity; left ventricular hypertrophy; electrocardiography; hypertension

About this article
Title

Evaluation of sensitivity and specificity of ECG left ventricular hypertrophy criteria in obese and hypertensive patients

Journal

Arterial Hypertension

Issue

Vol 27, No 4 (2023)

Article type

Original paper

Pages

223-231

Published online

2023-09-11

Page views

607

Article views/downloads

236

DOI

10.5603/ah.96273

Bibliographic record

Arterial Hypertension 2023;27(4):223-231.

Keywords

obesity
left ventricular hypertrophy
electrocardiography
hypertension

Authors

Szymon Salamaga
Iwona Juszczyk
Franciszek Dydowicz
Mateusz Matyjasek
Agnieszka Turowska
Dawid Lipski
Regina Pawlak-Chomicka
Andrzej Tykarski
Paweł Uruski

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