title: ECG screening for SCD in young adults: community volunteers can acquire higher quality ECGs than health professionals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  ECG screening of young athletes for risk of sudden cardiac death has grown in popularity throughout the world. The purpose of this study is to assess the technical error rate of ECGs acquired by appropriately trained community volunteers compared to that reported in the literature utilizing trained medical personnel.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective study analyzing consecutive ECGs acquired during 5 successive high school screenings at 3 separate schools in 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 4477 consecutive ECGs were acquired and assessed for technical quality. The total rate of technically inadequate tracings was 0.34%. This is lower than that reported in outpatient clinics acquired by medically trained technicians (0.4%) and in ICUs acquired by nurses (4.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that the ECG training program utilized by the YH4L program for community volunteers results in a technical error rate that is lower than reported in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Advocate Medical Group, 3825 Highland Ave, Suite 400, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA; Young Heart for Life, Oak Brook Terrace, IL 60523 USA.
authors.forename: Joseph C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Marek
authors.affiliation: Young Heart for Life, Oak Brook Terrace, IL 60523 USA.
authors.forename: Sarah Ann
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Marek
authors.affiliation: Young Heart for Life, Oak Brook Terrace, IL 60523 USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen Ann
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Marek
authors.affiliation: Young Heart for Life, Oak Brook Terrace, IL 60523 USA; Advocate Children's Heart Institute, Oak Lawn, IL 60453, USA. Electronic address: frank.zimmerman@advocatehealth.com.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D056352:Athletes / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009726:Nurses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D014838:Volunteers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Athlete ECG screening; Community heart screening; Sudden cardiac death