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)* | 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 |
Abbreviations: A fib: atrial fibrillation, A flutter: atrial flutter, bpm: beats per minute, NSR: normal sinus rhythm, RBBB: right bundle branch block, SVT: supraventricular tachycardia.
*
Tallest R wave in lead V1.
¶
P wave amplitude ≥ 0.25 mV in lead II, III, aVF, V1 or V2.