Estimating left atrial enlargement parameters from the electrocardiogram using wavelets.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this article was to examine the utility of using the P wave of the electrocardiogram to indicate left atrial enlargement measures determined from the echocardiogram and cardiac magnetic resonance.


METHODS
Wavelet-based features extracted from the beat-averaged P wave were correlated to the left atrial diameter, left atrial area, and left atrial volume index measures from echocardiogram and cardiac magnetic resonance.


RESULTS
Significant correlations were found between several of the wavelet features and the left atrial enlargement size measures (r > 0.5, P < .01). Left atrial diameter and left atrial area correlated best to the derived Z lead, and left atrial volume index correlated best to the derived X lead.


CONCLUSIONS
The good correlations illustrate that it is feasible to estimate the size of the left atrium from the P wave using wavelet techniques.
Centre for Wireless Monitoring and Applications, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. d.rowlands@griffith.edu.au
David Duanne
DD
Rowlands
Adrian
A
Diery
Anthony
A
Forshaw
Tim R H
TR
Cutmore
D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D006325:Heart Atria; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009929:Organ Size