title: Vectorcardiographic findings in Friedreich's ataxia.
abstract: Cardiac manifestations in Friedreich's ataxia occur frequently. We have studied 17 cases of Friedreich's ataxia, of which 94% showed a disturbance of the repolarization in the scalar ECG, 29% showed evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy. These changes are not specific but typical of Friedreich's ataxia. Vectorcardiograms were taken with the Frank-system. The vectorcardiographic findings showed not only the same changes as seen in the sclar ECG, but furthermore an atypical configuration of the QRS-loop was evident, which was not recognized in the scalar ECG. According to our experience compared with the scalar ECT, the vectorcardiographic investigations can be considered a more useful method in the diagnosis of Friedreich's ataxia.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000503:physiopathology; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005621:Friedreich Ataxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014672:Vectorcardiography