title: Prevalence and clinical correlates of early repolarization and J wave in a large cohort of subjects without overt heart disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have suggested that early repolarization (ER) is associated with increased risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Early repolarization in these studies, however, was defined as J-wave (terminal QRS slurring or notching) or J-point elevation rather than typical ST-segment elevation (STE). Prevalence and characteristics of these different findings in the general population are poorly known. In this study, we assessed prevalence and correlates of STE typical of ER and of J wave in a large population of noncardiac subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively collected electrocardiograms of 4176 consecutive subjects without heart disease at our hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Early repolarization was found in 84 subjects (2.0%) and J wave in 663 (15.9%). Among ER subjects, a J wave was present in 60 (71.4%). Variables independently associated with both ER and J wave included young age, male sex, and lower heart rate. There was no increased history of symptoms (palpitations and syncope) possibly related to arrhythmias in STE or J-wave subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Typical ER pattern and J wave are common in noncardiac subjects, particularly in young people, and are not associated with symptoms potentially related to arrhythmias.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Cardiovascolare, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: g.a.lanza@rm.unicatt.it.
authors.forename: Gaetano A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Lanza
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Cardiovascolare, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mollo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Cardiovascolare, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cosenza
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Cardiovascolare, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pinnacchio
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Cardiovascolare, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Careri
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Cardiovascolare, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laurito
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Cardiovascolare, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Crea
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged