[A survey of Brugada-type electrocardiogram recorded from high right precordial spaces in healthy Chinese].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence and the significance of the Brugada-type electrocardiogram (ECG) recorded from higher intercostal space in healthy Chinese.


METHODS
The population of the present study consisted of 1005 subjects receiving a health examination. All subjects underwent history inquiry, physical examination and chest X-ray survey. ECGs were taken from the 4th and the 2nd intercostal spaces and examined for Brugada-type ECG according to the diagnostic criteria recommended by European Society of Cardiology.


RESULTS
Four patients with cardiovascular disorders were excluded and a total of 1001 healthy subjects [age 17 - 75 years, mean (28.3 +/- 14.8) years, 877 males and 124 females] were included in the study. Five males of the 1001 subjects (0.50%) had Brugada-type 2 pattern on routine 12-lead ECGs. Forty-seven males of all the subjects (4.70%) had Brugada-type ECGs recorded from the 2nd intercostal space and Brugada-type 2 and type 3 patterns were found in 40 and 7 respectively. All these males had no unaccountable syncope, presyncope or a family history of sudden death.


CONCLUSIONS
It should be careful to diagnose of Brugada syndrome according to Brugada-type 2 or type 3 ECGs recorded from either the 4th or higher intercostal spaces when typical symptoms are absent.
Department of Cardiology Center, People's Hospital of Peking University, Beijing 100044, China.
Peng
P
Liang
Wen-Ling
WL
Liu
Da-Yi
DY
Hu
Dong
D
Wu
Jie
J
Liu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D053840:Brugada Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged