Table 1.
Characteristics of study cohort and comparison between patients with diagnostic and non-diagnostic Holter test.
| Variable | Study cohort n = 289 (%) |
Diagnostic Holter n = 39 (%) |
Non-diagnostic Holter n = 250 (%) |
p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, mean ± SD, year | 75 ± 14 | 78 ± 14 | 75 ± 14 | 0.15 |
| Female sex | 140 (48) | 17 (44) | 123 (49) | 0.51 |
| Hypertension | 209 (72) | 36 (92) | 173 (69) | < 0.01 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 102 (35) | 13 (33) | 89 (36) | 0.78 |
| Hyperlipidemia | 171 (59) | 18 (67) | 153 (58) | 0.39 |
| Heart failure | ||||
| Reduced ejection fraction | 34 (12) | 3 (8) | 31 (12) | 0.39 |
| Preserved ejection fraction | 44 (15) | 11 (28) | 33 (13) | 0.02 |
| Ischemic heart disease | 103 (36) | 13 (33) | 90 (36) | 0.75 |
| Atrial fibrillation | 95 (33) | 18 (46) | 77 (31) | 0.06 |
| Days admission to Holter | 2 (1–4) | 3 (2–4) | 2 (1–4) | 0.12 |
| Abnormal baseline ECG | 177 (61) | 30 (77) | 147 (59) | 0.03 |
| Baseline ECG abnormalities | ||||
| Any BBBa | 65 (22) | 13 (62) | 52 (20) | < 0.01 |
| Bradycardia (under 50 bpm) | 40 (14) | 7 (18) | 33 (13) | 0.42 |
| 1st or 2nd degree AVB | 38 (13) | 13 (33) | 25 (10) | < 0.01 |
| Atrial fibrillation/flutter | 70 (24) | 7 (18) | 63 (25) | 0.33 |
| LVH | 17 (7) | 0 | 17 (6) | 0.09 |
| Long QT interval | 14 (5) | 0 | 14 (6) | 0.13 |
| ≥ 2 ECG abnormalities | 60 (21) | 16 (41) | 44 (18) | < 0.01 |
| Number of abnormalities | 1 (0–1) | 1 (0–2) | 1 (0–1) | < 0.01 |
| Presenting condition | ||||
| Dyspnea | 95 (33) | 16 (41) | 79 (32) | 0.24 |
| Chest pain | 65 (23) | 3 (8) | 62 (25) | 0.02 |
| Palpitations | 51 (18) | 9 (23) | 42 (17) | 0.34 |
| Pre-syncope | 48 (17) | 9 (23) | 39 (16) | 0.24 |
| Systemic emboli | 19 (7) | 0 (0) | 19 (8) | 0.08 |
| Other diagnosis | 11 (4) | 2 (5) | 9 (4) | 0.98 |
ECG electrocardiogram, BBB bundle branch block, AVB atrioventricular block, SVT supraventricular tachycardia, LVH left ventricular hypertrophy.
aRight, left, or bifascicular block.