Determination of the ability of high-frequency ECG to estimate left ventricular mass in humans, determined by magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown a significantly higher correlation between left ventricular mass index (LVMi) and high-frequency QRS components (HF-QRS) than between LVMi and QRS amplitudes in the standard frequency range in rabbits. The purpose of the present study was to compare ECG measurements from standard and high-frequency ranges with left ventricular mass (LVM) and LVMi determined by magnetic resonance imaging in humans. METHODS Sixty-two normal subjects were studied. Signal-averaged ECGs from the 12 standard leads were analysed in the standard frequency range (0.05-150 Hz), in the middle (25-100 Hz) and high end (50-150 Hz) of the standard frequency range and in the 150-250 Hz range. Root-mean square (RMS) values from the HF-QRS and QRS amplitude measurements from the standard ECGs were compared with LVM and LVMi. RESULTS The correlations between LVMi and HF-QRS were similar to those between LVMi and standard ECG. When regarding LVM, however, the correlations found in the standard ECG were higher than those found in HF-QRS. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to previous results in animals, we found in humans no better correlation between HF-QRS and LVM/LVMi than between standard ECG and LVM/LVMi.