Population prevalence of electrocardiographic abnormalities: results of the Polish WAW‑KARD study

Abstract

Background: Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a very important instrument in the diagnostic workup of the heart disease, both in clinical and epidemiological studies.

Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate ECG abnormalities in adult residents of Warsaw and to determine the time trends of ECG abnormalities in the years 1984 to 2012.

Methods: A total of 1081 individuals aged 20 years of older were examined in the years 2011 to 2012. All of them had resting ECG obtained, later coded using the Minnesota Code. To determine time trends, we additionally used the ECG data from Pol‑MONICA studies.

Results: More than one‑third of individuals had normal ECG, and that number increased to half of them when heart rate was ignored as the only abnormality (in young persons 44% and 69.8%, respectively, and in asymptomatic individuals 45.9% and 68.1%, respectively). The most prevalent abnormality in men was intraventricular conduction disturbances, and in women ST‑segment depression and negative T‑wave changes (repolarization changes). QRS‑axis deviation and R wave of high amplitude were observed significantly more often in men compared with women. The frequency of ECG abnormalities and simultaneous occurrence of several ECG changes increased with the age of the study participants.

Conclusions: Normal ECG was observed only in one‑third of adult residents of Warsaw, and in half of those who were young or asymptomatic. The most frequent ECG abnormalities in men were intraventricular conduction disturbances and repolarization changes in women. Atrial fibrillation was the most prevalent arrhythmia. We did not find significant time trends for repolarization changes, conduction disturbances, and arrhythmia.