Usefulness of an abnormal signal-averaged electrocardiogram for predicting cardiac death in elderly persons without heart disease.
We found an abnormal signal-averaged ECG in 7 of 51 elderly patients (14%) (mean age 83 years) without clinical evidence of heart disease, and in 1 of 25 volunteers (4%) (mean age 31 years range [17 to 47]) without clinical evidence of heart disease. The data from our prospective study indicate that at 43-month mean follow-up, elderly patients with an abnormal signal-averaged ECG but no clinical evidence of heart disease do not have an increased incidence of sudden cardiac death, total cardiac death, or total death.
Aronow
W S
WS
Hebrew Hospital Home, Bronx, New York 10475, USA.
Mercando
A D
AD
Epstein
S
S
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted