Table 1.
ECG Characteristics at the Time of PAH Diagnosis and before Death
| Variables | First ECG Median (IQR) or n (%) (n = 39) | ECG before Death Median (IQR) or n (%) (n = 50) | P (Related Samples Wilcoxon Signed‐Rank Test or McNemar's Test, n = 39) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart rate (bpm) | 83 (70–93) | 89 (79–103) | 0.001 |
| Rhythm | 0.01 | ||
| ‐NSR | 33 (85) | 26 (52) | |
| ‐Sinus tachycardia | 4 (10) | 11 (22) | |
| ‐Sinus bradycardia | 2 (5) | 0 (0) | |
| ‐A fib / A flutter / SVT / junctional | 0 (0) | 13 (26) | |
| P‐wave amplitude (DII) (mV) | 0.18 (0.1–0.2) | 0.16 (0.1–0.2) | 0.09 |
| P‐wave amplitude (V1) (mV) | 0.13 (0.1–0.2) | 0.16 (0.1–0.2) | 0.3 |
| P wave ≥ 0.25 mV (%) | 9 (23.1) | 6 (12) | 0.29 |
| P‐wave frontal axis (degrees) | 58 (48–68) | 59 (44–69) | 0.83 |
| PR interval (ms) | 167 (150–187) | 176 (144–191) | 0.031 |
| QRS duration (ms) | 88 (80–100) | 90 (82–110) | 0.018 |
| QRS frontal axis (degrees) | 97 (42–121) | 112 (90–128) | 0.003 |
| QRS transition zone | 4 (3–5) | 4 (3–5) | 1 |
| R wave (V1) (mV)a | 0.27 (0.2–0.6) | 0.4 (0.2–0.6) | 0.24 |
| R wave (V2) (mV) | 0.48 (0.2–0.7) | 0.5 (0.3–0.8) | 0.23 |
| R wave (DI) (mV) | 0.46 (0.32–0.6) | 0.3 (0.2–0.4) | < 0.001 |
| R wave (aVR) (mV) | 0.22 (0.12–0.4) | 0.2 (0.1–0.3) | 0.49 |
| S wave (V1) (mV) | 0.28 (0.16–0.7) | 0.21 (0.1–0.4) | 0.11 |
| R/S ratio (V1) | 1 (0.3–3) | 2 (0.8–3.6) | 0.01 |
| R/S ratio (V1) ≥ 1 (%) | 19 (48.7) | 37 (74) | 0.003 |
| Intrinsicoid deflection (V1) (ms) | 50 (40–60) | 50 (40–70) | 0.27 |
| qR pattern (V1) (%) | 5 (12.8) | 15 (30) | 0.3 |
| rSR’ pattern (V1) (%) | 17 (43.6) | 22 (44) | 0.55 |
| qrS pattern (V1) (%) | 1 (2.6) | 4 (8) | 1 |
| RBBB (%) | 2 (5.1) | 8 (16) | 0.031 |
| S wave (V5–V6) (mV) | 0.5 (0.2–0.7) | 0.5 (0.3–0.6) | 0.78 |
| QTc (ms) | 431 (405–458) | 444 (414–463) | 0.018 |
| T‐wave frontal axis (degrees) | 26 (–3 – +52) | 13 (–30 – +58) | 0.19 |
| Negative T waves (V1–V3) (%) | 31 (79.5) | 38 (76) | 0.75 |
| Negative T wave (inferior leads) (%) | 12 (30.8) | 30 (60) | 0.004 |
| ST depression (V1) (%) | 3 (7.7) | 3 (6) | 1 |
| ST depression (V2) (%) | 5 (12.8) | 6 (12) | 1 |
| ST depression (inferior leads) (%) | 2 (5.1) | 4 (8) | 1 |
| Normal ECG (%) | 3 (7.7) | 0 (0) | 0.25 |
A fib = atrial fibrillation; A flutter = atrial flutter; bpm = beats per minute; NSR = normal sinus rhythm; RBBB = right bundle branch block; SVT = supraventricular tachycardia.
a
Tallest R wave in lead V1.