Performance of a body surface mapping system using emergency physician real-time interpretation.
OBJECTIVE
We compared the performance characteristics of the 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) with body surface mapping (BSM) in patients presenting for evaluation of symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndromes.


METHODS
The diagnostic test characteristics (sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and predictive values) for 12-lead ECG and BSM were computed using 3 different criterion standards.


RESULTS
Of the 150 patients enrolled, 19 were positive for acute coronary syndromes using the criterion standard of cardiac troponin T >0.1 ng/mL, percutaneous coronary intervention, more than 70% stenosis, abnormal noninvasive testing, and coronary artery bypass graft. Changes not known to be old on ECG and BSM had sensitivities of 10.5 (95% confidence interval [CI(95)], 1.8-34.5) and 15.8 (CI(95), 4.2-40.5), and specificities of 90.1 (CI(95), 83.3-94.4) and 86.3 (CI(95), 78.9-91.4), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In this emergency department population, both the BSM and the 12-lead ECG exhibited similar test characteristics.
Fermann
Gregory J
GJ
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati, PO Box 670769, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0769, USA. gregory.fermann@uc.edu
Lindsell
Christopher J
CJ
O'Neil
Brian J
BJ
Gibler
W Brian
WB
D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D018780:Body Surface Potential Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D003199:Computer Systems; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D020107:Troponin T / Q000032:analysis
D020107:Troponin T; D003404:Creatinine