title: Normal limits of the electrocardiogram in Nigerians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There has been no large study of ECG measures derived by automated methods in an apparently healthy indigenous West African population.
  
  
  METHODS
  ECGs were recorded from apparently healthy Nigerians and analysed using automated methods. Age and sex based normal ranges were then established.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 782 males and 479 females aged between 20 and 87years were studied. Mean QRS duration in males was 87.9±9.4ms and 83.4±7.6ms in females (P<.0001). Mean QTc (Hodges) was 393±16ms in males and 406±16ms in females (P<.0001). The Cornell index (SV3+RaVL) was higher in males and decreased with increasing age in males though the reverse was true in females (P<.0001). STj amplitude was lower in older compared to younger males and higher in males.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first large study of automated ECG measurements from healthy blacks living in West Africa which allows the determination of ECG normal limits in such a population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ibraheem
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Katibi
authors.forename: Elaine N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Devine
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Macfarlane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012016:Reference Values