Computerized Q wave dimensions in athletes and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients.
BACKGROUND
There is controversy regarding Q wave criteria for assessing risk for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in young athletes.


METHODS
The 12-lead ECGs from Preparticipation screening in healthy athletes and patients with HCM were studied retrospectively. All 12 leads were measured using the same automated ECG analysis program.


RESULTS
There were a total of 225 HCM patients and 1124 athletes with 12-lead electrocardiograms available for analysis. Athletes were on average 20 years of age, 65% were male and 24% were African-American. Patients with HCM were on average 51 years of age, 56% were male and 5.8% were African-American. Q waves by either amplitude, duration or area criteria were more prevalent in males than females, in lateral leads than inferior and in HCM patients than athletes. The most striking difference in Q waves between the groups was in Limb lead I and in the females. Tall, skinny Q waves were rare in athletes and had the highest prevalence of only 3.7% in male HCM patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Q waves are more common in males compared to females and in patients with HCM compared to athletes. Q waves of 30 ms or more in limb lead I appear to offer the greatest discriminatory value for separating patients with HCM from athletes.
Stanford University Medical School, Stanford Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
Rachel E
RE
Bent
Stanford University Medical School, Stanford Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
Matthew T
MT
Wheeler
Cardea Ltd, Seattle, Washington.
David
D
Hadley
Stanford University Medical School, Stanford Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, Stanford University, Stanford, CA; Cardea Ltd, Seattle, Washington.
Victor
V
Froelicher
Stanford University Medical School, Stanford Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
Euan
E
Ashley
Stanford University Medical School, Stanford Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, Stanford University, Stanford, CA. Electronic address: mvperez@stanford.edu.
Marco V
MV
Perez
D056352:Athletes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018580:Mandatory Testing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult
Athlete; Electrocardiography; Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; Screening