Age and gender differences of basic electrocardiographic values and abnormalities in the general adult population; Tehran Cohort Study - PubMed (original) (raw)

doi: 10.1186/s12872-023-03339-z.

Arian Afzalian 1 2, Arash Jalali 1 2, Saeed Sadeghian 1 2, Farzad Masoudkabir 1 2, Alireza Oraii 1, Aryan Ayati 1 2, Sepehr Nayebirad 1 2, Parmida Sadat Pezeshki 1, Masoumeh Lotfi Tokaldani 1 2, Akbar Shafiee 1 2, Mohammad Mohammadi 1 2, Elham Sanei 1 2, Masih Tajdini 1 2, Kaveh Hosseini 3 4

Affiliations

Age and gender differences of basic electrocardiographic values and abnormalities in the general adult population; Tehran Cohort Study

Pooria Ahmadi et al. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2023.

Abstract

Background: Although several studies are available regarding baseline Electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters and major and minor ECG abnormalities, there is considerable controversy regarding their age and gender differences in the literature.

Methods: Data from 7630 adults aged ≥ 35 from the Tehran Cohort Study registered between March 2016 and March 2019 were collected. Basic ECG parameters values and abnormalities related to arrhythmia, defined according to the American Heart Association definitions, were analyzed and compared between genders and four distinct age groups. The odds ratio of having any major ECG abnormality between men and women, stratified by age, was calculated.

Results: The average age was 53.6 (± 12.66), and women made up 54.2% (n = 4132) of subjects. The average heart rate (HR) was higher among women(p < 0.0001), while the average values of QRS duration, P wave duration, and RR intervals were higher among men(p < 0.0001). Major ECG abnormalities were observed in 2.9% of the study population (right bundle branch block, left bundle branch block, and Atrial Fibrillation were the most common) and were more prevalent among men compared to women but without statistical significance (3.1% vs. 2.7% p = 0.188). Moreover, minor abnormalities were observed in 25.9% of the study population and again were more prevalent among men (36.4% vs. 17% p < 0.001). The prevalence of major ECG abnormalities was significantly higher in participants older than 65.

Conclusion: Major and minor ECG abnormalities were roughly more prevalent in male subjects. In both genders, the odds of having major ECG abnormalities surge with an increase in age.

Keywords: Age distribution; Arrhythmia; ECG abnormalities; Electrocardiography; Epidemiology; Iran; Sex distribution.

© 2023. The Author(s).

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Average ECG basic values in Tehran general population, stratified by age and gender. QRSd, QRS Duration; PWd, P Wave duration; HR, Heart Rate

Fig. 2

Fig. 2

OR of having any major ECG abnormality among males and females stratified by age. The Bars illustrate the measured odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence interval (CI). The reference value for the age group is 34 to 45

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