title: [Ethnic differences in electrocardiogram between a black African and a white European young adult population under 35 years].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have reported racial differences of electrocardiogram.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare clinical and electrocardiographic parameters of black African and white European young adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students from Cameroon (black group) and France (white group) were recruited (ratio 2/1). Resting ECG was recorded in supine position using a numerical electrocardiograph. Participants underwent demographic, clinical and ECG measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 162 black and 81 white students (68% female), mean age 24±3 years. Longest QRS duration, sinus bradycardia, right bundle branch block and slurred pattern of repolarization were more common in whites (P<0.05) while longest PR interval (P<0.05), QRS microvoltage and positive T wave in lead V1 were more common in blacks (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most of ECG patterns are similar in these black and white individuals; particularly repolarization features. Positive T wave in V1 lead and isolated R wave microvoltage in aVL lead are predominant in blacks whereas slurring variant of early repolarization is more frequent in whites.
authors: Département des sciences cliniques, faculté de médecine et des sciences pharmaceutiques, université de Douala, BP 7064, Douala, Cameroon. aimebonny@yahoo.fr
authors: Aimé
authors: A
authors: Bonny
authors: Elysée C
authors: EC
authors: Bika Lele
authors: Samuel
authors: S
authors: Mandengue
authors: Fabrice
authors: F
authors: Larrazet
authors: Walid
authors: W
authors: Amara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D044383:Black People; D002163:Cameroon; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000145:classification*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult