Relation of ECG Abnormalities and Echocardiographically Detected Left Veticular Hypertrophy in Patients with Essential Hypertension

Left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH) is an important prognostic factor in essential hypertersion. But the method of diagnosis of LVH by electrocardiography has limitations.

In this study, we compared the sensitivity of the total 12-lead QRS amplitude with the sensitivity of certain standard electrocardiographic criteria for left ventriculart hyterthophy in patients with essential hypertension.

Atotal of 50 hypertrophy patients and 50 normal adults were studied. For diagnosis fo left ventricular hypertrophy by electrocardiography, we use Sokoliw and Lyon index, the ratio of RV₆ : RV₅ and a method using the total QRS complex voltage of standard 12-lwads. By echocardiography, we calculated left ventricular mass index.

The total QRS voltage ranged from 127mm to 332mm(mean : 205±51mm) in hypertensives, 86mm to 308mm(mean : 149±42mm) in nonmal group. Using 175mm as the upper limit of normal, this method gave a sensitivity of 80% show reasonable sensitivity of any criteria tested. The Sokolow-Lyon index gave a sensitivity of 45%, the RV₆/RV₅ ratio gave only 10% of sensitivity.

Total 12-lead QRS voltage more than 175mm is a useful indicator of left ventriculat hypertrophy in patients with essential hypertension.