Frequency of different electrocardiographic abnormalities in a large cohort of Spanish workers.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to describe the electrocardiographic findings of a large sample of Spanish workers from several different employment sectors.


RESULTS
Between May 2008 and November 2010, 13 495 consecutive 12-lead resting electrocardiograms (ECGs) were obtained during health examinations of working adults aged 16-74 years in 5 cities in different regions of Spain. Of those, 13 179 ECGs suitable for interpretation were included in this study. All tracings were classified by the same cardiologist, according to the Minnesota Code criteria. The mean age of the sample was 40 years, and 73.4% were male. Frequencies of complete right bundle branch block, complete left bundle branch block, and left ventricular hypertrophy were 1.1, 0.2, and 3.6%, respectively. Major Q wave abnormalities were observed in 1.7% of the subjects, T wave abnormalities in 0.7%, early repolarization in 2.4%, and other ST segment abnormalities in 0.2%. Atrial fibrillation was present in 0.08% of the workers and atrial flutter in 0.02%. Frequencies of the Wolff-Parkinson-White pattern, Brugada pattern, long QT pattern, and short QT pattern were 0.2, 0.068, 0.038, and 0.015%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows the electrocardiographic findings of a large sample of Spanish workers from several different employment sectors. The frequencies of many ECG patterns related to an adverse prognosis (left ventricular hypertrophy, complete left bundle branch block, T wave abnormalities, ST segment abnormalities, and atrial fibrillation) were low.
Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Comarcal de Antequera, Antequera (Málaga), Spain.
Jorge
J
Rodríguez-Capitán
Ibermutuamur, Madrid, Spain.
Ana
A
Fernández-Meseguer
Unidad de Gestión Clínica del Corazón, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria de Málaga Instituto Biosanitario de Málaga (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
José Manuel
JM
García-Pinilla
Ibermutuamur, Madrid, Spain.
Eva
E
Calvo-Bonacho
Unidad de Gestión Clínica del Corazón, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria de Málaga Instituto Biosanitario de Málaga (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
Manuel
M
Jiménez-Navarro
Cualtis, Madrid, Spain.
Teresa
T
García-Margallo
Unidad de Gestión Clínica del Corazón, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria de Málaga Instituto Biosanitario de Málaga (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
Fernando
F
Cabrera-Bueno
Unidad de Cardiología (ICARDIO), Hospital IMED, Elche (Alicante), Spain.
Ignacio
I
Echeverria-Lucotti
Unidad de Gestión Clínica del Corazón, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria de Málaga Instituto Biosanitario de Málaga (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
Juan José
JJ
Gómez-Doblas
Unidad de Gestión Clínica del Corazón, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria de Málaga Instituto Biosanitario de Málaga (IBIMA), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain.
Eduardo
E
De Teresa-Galván
D000200:Action Potentials; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
Electrocardiography; Epidemiology; Working population