title: Twelve-lead electrocardiography in the young: physiologic and pathologic abnormalities.
abstract: BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to analyze the prevalence of physiologic and pathologic ECG abnormalities in a cohort of young conscripts that represents the whole young generation of today.
  
  
  METHODS
  ECGs of all Swiss citizens who underwent conscription for the army during a 29-month period were analyzed manually.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ECGs of 43,401 conscripts (mean age 19.2 ± 1.1 years) were analyzed; 158 conscripts were female. Incomplete right bundle branch block was found in 5870 (13.5%) and left anterior fascicular block in 360 (0.83%). First-degree AV block was present in 329 (0.8%) and Mobitz type I (Wenckebach) second-degree AV block in 3 (0.01%). Early repolarization was observed in 1035 (2.4%), T-wave inversion in 39 (0.09%), and minor T-wave changes in 182 (0.42%). Brugada-like abnormalities were observed in 6 (0.01%). None of the conscripts had atrial fibrillation or flutter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ECG abnormalities can be found in a relatively large proportion of young individuals. Incomplete right bundle branch block, left fascicular block, and first-degree AV block are the most frequent findings. No conscript presented with atrial fibrillation or flutter.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Luzern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kobza
authors.forename: Florim
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cuculi
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abächerli
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toggweiler
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suter
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.forename: Johann Jakob
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Erne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology