Reference values of electrocardiogram repolarization variables in a healthy population☆
Received 7 January 2009 published online 09 September 2009.
Abstract
Introduction
Reference values for T-wave morphology analysis and evaluation of the relationship with age, sex, and heart rate are lacking in the literature. In this study, we characterized T-wave morphology in a large sample of healthy individuals.
Method
A total of 1081 healthy subjects (83% men; range, 17-81 years) were included. T-wave morphology variables describing the duration, area, slopes, amplitude, and distribution were calculated using 10-second digital electrocardiogram recordings. Multivariate regression was used to test for dependence of T-wave variables with the subject age, sex, and heart rate.
Results
Lead V5 (men vs women) T-wave variables were as follows: amplitude, 444 versus 317 μV; area, 48.4 versus 33.2 ms ⁎ mV; Tpeak-Tend interval, 94 versus 92 milliseconds; maximal descending slope, −5.15 versus −3.69 μV/ms; skewness, −0.24 versus −0.22; and kurtosis, −0.36 versus −0.35. Tpeak-Tend interval, skewness, and kurtosis were independent of age, sex, and heart rate (r2 < 0.05), whereas Bazett-corrected QT-interval was more dependent (r2 = 0.40).
Conclusion
A selection of T-wave morphology variables is found to be clinically independent of age, sex, and heart rate, including Tpeak-Tend interval, skewness, and kurtosis.
fDepartment of Cardiology P, Gentofte University Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark
Corresponding author. Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Panum, Building 6.6.40, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.
ABSTRACT