title: Combination of electrocardiographic and echocardiographic information identifies individuals prone to a progressive increase in left ventricular mass over 5 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed whether the relationship between electrocardiographic and echocardiographic information on left ventricular hypertrophy predicts the development of left ventricular mass over 5 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Linear regression analyses between various electrocardiographic indices of left ventricular hypertrophy and left ventricular mass (echocardiography) indexed to height2.7 (LVMI(ht)) was performed in 1488 individuals in each gender subgroup (45-79 years, 841 female, exclusion of intraventricular conduction defects) from the population-based, longitudinal 'Study of Health in Pomerania'. A parameter expressing the difference between observed ECG indices of left ventricular hypertrophy and ECG indices predicted on the basis of echocardiographic readings was calculated in each individual at the baseline visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In individuals with complete echocardiographic data at baseline and 5-year-follow-up (n = 1031, exclusion of aortic valve disease), LVMI(ht) at 5-year-follow-up was significantly correlated with the parameter derived from the Cornell product (P < 0.001), the Cornell voltage (P < 0.001), the Gubner-Ungerleider-product (P < 0.001), the Gubner-Ungerleider-voltage (P < 0.001), Lewis voltage (P < 0.001) and aVL voltage (P < 0.001), but not with Sokolow-Lyon-index-derived parameters. LVMI(ht) at baseline did not significantly correlate with any of these ECG-derived parameters. In female individuals with Cornell products higher than expected based on echocardiographic readings, left ventricular mass increased from 162.3 +/- 2.6 g to 180.5 +/- 2.8 g (males: 213.1 +/- 3.7 g to 236.3 +/- 4.2 g), whereas left ventricular mass increased only from 161.8 +/- 2.5 g to 173.5 +/- 2.8 g (males: 209.7 +/- 3.7 g to 215.8 +/- 3.7 g) in individuals with lower than expected Cornell products (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relationship of electrocardiographic and echocardiographic information on left ventricular mass may identify individuals at risk for developing progressive increase in left ventricular mass.
authors.affiliation: aKlinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin B, Universitätsklinikum, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany. ThorstenReffelmann@web.de
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reffelmann
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dörr
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Völzke
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kors
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruppert
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Stephan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Felix
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018450:Disease Progression; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors