The normal pediatric Frank orthogonal electrocardiogram: variations according to age and sex.

Quantitative computerized analysis of QRS and ST-T parameters of the Frank orthogonal electrocardiogram and vectorcardiogram was undertaken in a large series of 1317 normal infants, children and adolescents stratified according to age and sex. This study confirms the influence of these two constitutional variables, age and sex, over the normal VCG in the whole time span between birth and late adolescence. As children mature, the mid-portion of the spatial QRS loop shifts leftward and posteriorly with relatively little change in the initial and terminal vectors. The spatial T loop shifts anteriorly but at a different rate in males and in females. Unidirectional changes in many amplitude parameters are observed until age 19 in males whereas in females these changes stop earlier or even show a reverse trend around puberty, leading to more important differences between adolescent males and females. Sex-related differences are the most marked for parameters representing the repolarization process. Infants under six months of age form a distinct group with larger dispersions and more disparate variations in the values of vectorcardiographic parameters than in older children. In the newborn period larger sample size might be necessary in order to reduce the normal ranges of vectorcardiographic parameters.

The normal pediatric Frank orthogonal electrocardiogram: influence of weight, height and chest circumference.

The influence of body weight, height and chest circumference on the pediatric Frank vectorcardiogram (VCG) was investigated in a population of 1317 normal infants, children and adolescents. Simple linear regression analysis showed that 94, 96 and 57 VCG variables were significantly correlated with weight, height and chest circumference, respectively. These numbers were reduced to 10, 18 and 6 VCG variables after a stepwise multiple correlation analysis. The relationship between the VCG and the somatic variables was also studied in ten different age/sex subgroups. Simple regression analysis showed a residual significant correlation between the VCG and all three somatic variables in each group. The multiple correlation analysis allowed us to define a minimum set of VCG variables, from one to six, which could explain all the variation produced by the somatic variables. The coefficient of multiple correlation between VCG and weight was the highest in babies 0 to 6 months old (R = 0.73). For height, the strongest correlation was found in females two to five years old (R = 0.76). In subjects older than two years of age, the correlation between chest circumference and VCG (R = 0.30 to 0.69) was weaker than between VCG and pediatric VCG after stratification for age and sex, especially in the youngest groups.

Coronary artery reperfusion in acute myocardial infarction: assessment by pre- and postintervention thallium-201 myocardial perfusion imaging.

In a randomized trial of intracoronary streptokinase (STK) therapy in acute myocardial infarction, 44 patients (21 control subjects and 23 patients treated with STK) underwent sequential thallium-201 planar imaging before angiography and after 4 hours (redistribution), 4 days and 6 weeks. Patients were classified according to the presence or absence of angiographic reperfusion of the infarct-related artery. The semiquantitative score of myocardial thallium uptake was expressed as percent of maximal defect score. Both in control and in STK-treated groups, thallium defect scores decreased over time, but this decrease was smaller in the control group (before angiography, 33 +/- 4%; redistribution, 29 +/- 4%; 4 days, 25 +/- 4%; and 6 weeks, 22 +/- 4%) than in the STK group (44 +/- 4%, 38 +/- 4%, 26 +/- 4% and 21 +/- 3%, respectively). In patients in whom reperfusion was achieved (20 STK-treated, 6 control subjects), a marked decrease in thallium score was observed (before angiography, 40 +/- 4%; redistribution, 32 +/- 4%; 4 days, 20 +/- 5%; and 6 weeks, 14 +/- 22%) compared with patients in whom reperfusion was not achieved (37 +/- 4%, 36 +/- 5%, 33 +/- 5% and 33 +/- 4%, respectively). These results indicate that serial thallium imaging is an accurate method of assessing changes in myocardial perfusion after acute myocardial infarction. Restoration of thallium uptake was observed after reperfusion of the infarct-related artery whether this recanalization was seen spontaneously or after successful thrombolysis.

Alternative diagnostic strategies for coronary artery disease in women: demonstration of the usefulness and efficiency of probability analysis.

Alternative strategies using conditional probability analysis for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) were examined in 93 infarct-free women presenting with chest pain. Another group of 42 consecutive female patients was prospectively analyzed. For this latter group, the physician had access to the pretest and posttest probability of CAD before coronary angiography. These 135 women all underwent stress electrocardiographic, thallium scintigraphic, and coronary angiographic examination. The pretest and posttest probabilities of coronary disease were derived from a computerized Bayesian algorithm. Probability estimates were calculated by the four following hypothetical strategies: SO, in which history, including risk factors, was considered; S1, in which history and stress electrocardiographic results were considered; S2, in which history and stress electrocardiographic and stress thallium scintigraphic results were considered; and S3, in which history and stress electrocardiographic results were used, but in which stress scintigraphic results were considered only if the poststress probability of CAD was between 10% and 90%, i.e., if a sufficient level of diagnostic certainty could not be obtained with the electrocardiographic results alone. The strategies were compared with respect to accuracy with the coronary angiogram as the standard. For both groups of women, S2 and S3 were found to be the most accurate in predicting the presence or absence of coronary disease (p less than .05). However, it was found with use of S3 that more than one-third of the thallium scintigrams could have been avoided without loss of accuracy. It was also found that diagnostic catheterization performed to exclude CAD as a diagnosis could have been avoided in half of the patients without loss of accuracy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Diagnostic value of computerized exercise testing in men without previous myocardial infarction. A multivariate, compartmental and probabilistic approach.

The value of exercise testing for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease is disputed but very few studies have taken advantage of all recent improvements, namely computer averaging of the ECG signals, multivariate analysis of the data, a compartmental diagnostic approach and probabilistic interpretation of the results. These methods were tested in a group of 387 men who had a computer-assisted multistage maximal exercise test; none had a history of myocardial infarction. In 284 symptomatic patients, the diagnosis was made by arteriography; 103 ostensibly healthy men were also included. The computer-averaged ECG signals (X, Y, Z) recorded at maximal exercise, maximal heart rate, blood pressure and workload, and the onset of angina pectoris during exercise were submitted to a multivariate stepwise discriminant analysis. The pretest likelihood for CAD was calculated from age and history; the post-test likelihood was calculated from Bayes' theorem and the average information content of several diagnostic methods was assessed in categorical and compartmental models. By multivariate analysis, 5 variables collected at maximal exercise were selected, namely the heart-rate, the ST60 segment level, the onset of angina during the test, the workload and the slope of the ST segment in lead X. The average information content of the analysis using 5 variables was 44% in a categorical model versus 55% in a compartmental model (P less than 0.001). For comparison, the information content of the analysis using the ST60 segment level alone was only 16% in the categorical model and 27% in the compartmental model. The clinical value of these diagnostic methods (categorical versus compartmental, univariate versus multivariate) was assessed by a probabilistic classification of the patients. The classification provided by the analysis of the ST60 segment changes was barely better than that one provided by the simple history. The probabilistic use of a multivariate and compartmental analysis of the data led to a significantly better and more accurate classification of the patients (83% of correct classification).

Role of exercise testing and stress thallium scintigraphy in the management of old men with suspected or documented coronary artery disease.

From 217 old men submitted to a symptom-limited maximal exercise test, 145 had also an exercise thallium scintigraphy; 44 of those patients were submitted to an angiography. The decision to perform angiography in these aged patients was based mostly on their history and their complaints. This decision was likely influenced by the results of the exercise test; even in symptomatic patients, angiography was rarely performed when the exercise data were normal (normal ECG, no angina during the test). The thallium scintigraphy was not a major element in the overall clinical decision making: when the scintigraphy was available, it contributed, however, to refine the decision whether or not to perform an angiography.

Antianginal effects of corwin, a new beta-adrenoceptor partial agonist.

The hemodynamic effects of corwin were evaluated in 9 patients with coronary artery disease and without clinical signs of heart failure at rest, during submaximal exercise and during exercise-induced angina pectoris before and after administration of corwin. Angina pectoris was always prevented after the drug was given and the exercise intensity was increased until recurrence of angina pectoris; hemodynamic data were also recorded at this higher exercise capacity (+16%: p less than 0.001). At rest, corwin increased heart rate (from 80 to 84 beats/min) and pressure-rate product. During submaximal exercise, heart rate decreased from 105 to 96 beats/min, and pressure-rate product and ST-segment depression also decreased after corwin. The prevention of angina pectoris in all patients was accompanied by a lower heart rate (from 132 to 117 beats/min), pressure-rate product and ST-segment depression. At rest and during exercise, the cardiac output was unchanged and the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure was slightly decreased after corwin (from 12.5 to 10 mm Hg; p less than 0.001). At the 16% greater exercise capacity after corwin, angina pectoris recurred at the same values of cardiac output, pulmonary wedge pressure and ST-segment depression; maximal heart rate decreased from 132 to 124 beats/min, and the pressure-rate product was lower. Thus, corwin is an active antianginal drug. Its effects are likely due to a decrease in pressure-rate product and myocardial oxygen requirements during exercise. In contrast to beta-antagonists devoid of partial agonist activity, corwin does not depress left ventricular function either at rest or during exercise.

Effects of nicardipine or nifedipine added to propranolol in patients with coronary artery disease.

To assess the added effects of nicardipine and beta-blockers on the left ventricular (LV) function, 2.5 mg of i.v. nicardipine was given to 9 patients with coronary artery disease, pretreated with propranolol (0.1 mg/kg, i.v.). The changes in LV function observed after nicardipine were compared with those induced by nifedipine (20-30 mg sublingually), in 8 comparable patients also pretreated with propranolol. Nicardipine normalized the cardiac output and the rate of LV relaxation, both depressed by propranolol, without changes in LV filling pressure. After nicardipine, end-systolic volume (52 to 42 ml/m2; P less than 0.01) and ejection fraction (59 +/- 8 to 66 +/- 9%; P less than 0.01) improved; the mean systolic and diastolic wall stresses decreased respectively by 19% (P less than 0.01) and 21% (P less than 0.01) whereas the maximal LV pressure/volume ratio (Emax), an index of LV inotropic state, was unchanged (+4%; NS). Further, although nicardipine and nifedipine produced identical changes in LV systolic pressure (-25 vs -26 mmHg; NS nicardipine vs nifedipine) and in heart rate, the changes in end-systolic volume (-9 +/- 4 vs -3 +/- 9 ml/m2; P less than 0.005), in Emax (+0.14 +/- 0.31 vs -0.20 +/- 0.22 mmHg/ml/m2; P less than 0.025) and in ejection fraction (+7 +/- 4 vs +2 +/- 4%; P less than 0.025) were significantly greater after nicardipine than after nifedipine. In conclusion, nicardipine administered after propranolol improves LV pump function and has no negative inotropic effects as indicated by the lack of dP/dt Max and Emax changes. These additive effects of nicardipine after propranolol were greater than those of nifedipine administered at an equipotent vasodilator dosage.

Normal limits of pediatric Frank lead electrocardiograms. Differences in data obtained in 4th or 5th intercostal spaces.

Frank lead electrocardiograms (VCGs) were recorded from 970 young subjects in order to establish normal limits for pediatric VCGs. In 245 children and 231 adolescents, the thoracic electrodes were located at the levels of the 4th and of the 5th intercostal space with subjects in supine position. Pairwise comparisons of 211 linear and angular parameters were made, using the 4th interspace as the reference. In children, there were 155 parameters with statistically significant differences and 56 parameters without significant differences between levels 4 and 5. In adolescents, corresponding figures were 158 parameters with significant differences and 53 without. Results for selected measurements showed an increase of the amplitude of Q and R waves in leads X and Y, a decrease of Q and R waves in lead Z and an increase of maximal spatial and planar QRS vectors, with the QRS loop being more anteriorly oriented by shifting the electrodes from level 4 to level 5. The mean differences in amplitude and orientation were generally small and of little practical value. However, the percentile distribution of the differences indicated that substantial changes in either direction can occur in some subjects. Thus, quantitative analysis of the pediatric Frank VCGs can be critically affected by modification of electrode placement. It is suggested that normal limits should be determined for each recording level and that criteria for analysis should be applied only to VCGs recorded at the same specified level.

Force-velocity-length relations in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: evidence of normal or depressed myocardial contractility.

To assess myocardial contractility in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC), force-velocity-length relations were analyzed during left ventricular (LV) ejection. LV pressure, volume and wall stress data in 15 patients with HC were analyzed and compared with values from 32 normal subjects. Patients with HC had a greater LV mass than did normal subjects (272 versus 96 g/m2, p less than 0.001), elevated LV end-diastolic pressure (17.5 versus 9.8 mm Hg, p less than 0.01) and impaired LV relaxation compared with those of normal subjects. Patients with HC also had a greater ejection fraction (84 +/- 7 versus 74 +/- 8%, p less than 0.01) and mean velocity of shortening than did normal subjects. However, in patients with HC, end-systolic stress (60 +/- 29 versus 187 +/- 61 kdyne/cm2, p less than 0.001) was significantly lower. End-systolic volume and stress data were linearly related in normal subjects (r = 0.88), and values from patients with HC fell either within the lowest part of the 95% confidence interval of this normal relation or outside it in the zone of depressed contractility (11 patients with HC). In addition, the slopes of the relations between end-systolic wall stress and ejection fraction or mean velocity of shortening were abnormal in patients with HC; the slope of the stress-volume trajectory during late ejection was also depressed in 12 patients with HC (average slope 2.6 versus 5.5 kdyne/cm5/m2, p less than 0.001). Thus, there is no evidence of a hypercontractile state in patients with HC; their high values of ejection phase indexes may be explained by a reduction in myocardial afterload.

Hemodynamic effects of Corwin (ICI 118,587), a new cardioselective beta-adenoceptor partial agonist.

To describe the mechanisms of action of Corwin (ICI 118,587), a new cardioselective beta-adrenoceptor partial agonist, ten cardiac patients with mild to moderate functional cardiac impairment were studied. Hemodynamic measurements were made at rest and during three consecutive levels of submaximal exercise, before and 10 min after intravenous administration of 0.2 mg/kg of the drug. At rest, Corwin increased heart rate (HR) from 75 to 88 bpm and mean systemic blood pressure (BP) and decreased mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP); the resting cardiac output (CO) tended to increase in patients with a slow control HR. During exercise of low intensity (control HR: 103 bpm), the drug had no significant effect, except for a slight decrease in BP. During exercise of moderate and heavy intensity (control HR: 121 and 149 bpm), Corwin decreased HR (-10 and -24 bpm), BP and PCWP; at the heaviest exercise level, CO also decreased after Corwin. Thus, at rest, when the sympathetic tone is low, Corwin acts mainly as a beta-adrenoceptor agonist. As the sympathetic tone progressively increases with the intensity of the exercise, the beta-adrenoceptor antagonist action of Corwin becomes apparent and is most evident at the highest exercise level. In contrast to a full antagonist, these effects of Corwin appear to be less marked and they are accompanied by an unchanged or decreased PCWP. Corwin has thus interesting hemodynamic properties which deserve further investigation.

Computer interpretation of pediatric Frank vectorcardiograms in the evaluation of congenital heart disease.

The evaluation of a new computer program for analysis and interpretation of pediatric Frank vectorcardiograms is reported. The program includes extensive age- and sex-dependent criteria based on tables of limits for numerous vectorcardiographic parameters. In 728 catheterized patients, the diagnostic performance for type A statements was tested against independent and objective evidence obtained from hemodynamic and angiographic data. The overall diagnostic accuracy ranged from 75 to 89% without difference between children less than 2 years of age and those greater than or equal to 2 years of age. Sensitivities and specificities of the various diagnoses did not differ much between the 2 age groups. In the younger children, the accuracy of a positive diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy, right ventricular hypertrophy, and biventricular hypertrophy was 20, 15, and 32% higher, respectively, than in the older children. The accuracy of the diagnosis "normal" was 28% lower in the younger children. These differences were explained by the higher proportion of pathologic findings in the younger children: 93% versus 74% in the older children. Given the strict methods of the evaluation, the diagnostic accuracy of this pediatric program was considered clinically satisfactory. Program performance appears to be dependent not on patient age but on prevalence of abnormalities in the population analyzed. Further improvement can be expected by making the criteria more adaptable to the composition of the population.

Reassessment of the relation between QRS forces of the orthogonal electrocardiogram and left ventricular ejection fraction.

Previous studies have demonstrated the existence of a strong positive correlation between the amplitude of QRS forces of the orthogonal electrocardiogram and the angiographically determined left ventricular ejection fraction. In a large group of patients evaluated for chest pain, we examined the relationship between the arithmetic summation of RX + RY + QZ (sigma R), the maximal and mean spatial QRS vectors and the ejection fraction (EF). In a total of 252 patients, there was a statistically significant correlation between sigma R and EF but a low correlation coefficient value (r:0.22, P less than 0.001). This relationship was essentially due to the group of patients with coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction (r:0.24, P less than 0.015) whereas there was no correlation in the group of normal subjects or in patients with coronary artery disease without myocardial infarction. In the group with myocardial infarction, a significant correlation between sigma R and EF existed only in patients with anterior myocardial infarction (r:0.41, P less than 0.025). In conclusion, both ejection fraction and amplitude of QRS forces decrease in coronary artery disease especially when an anterior myocardial infarction is present. However, despite the positive association between these angiographic and electrocardiographic indices, the low value of the correlation coefficient indicates that it is not possible to predict ejection fraction from the value of sigma R in individual patients.

Relationship between changes in left ventricular inotropic state and relaxation in normal subjects and in patients with coronary artery disease.

The aim of the study was to examine the changes in left ventricular (LV) relaxation rate induced by variations in inotropic state. Eight normal subjects and 29 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) were studied. First, we used interventions that increase myocardial calcium influx (atrial pacing or postpacing beat) or decrease it (intracoronary injection of nifedipine). Relaxation rate was estimated from the time constant (T1) of isovolumic LV pressure fall during the fist 40 msec after peak negative dP/dt. Under basal conditions, T1 was impaired in CAD patients (58 vs 43 msec; p less than 0.01), despite similar heart rate, LV pressures and peak positive dP/dt (1620 vs 1787 mm Hg/sec; NS). During atrial pacing at 135 +/- 7 beats/min, peak positive dP/dt increased to 2220 mm Hg/sec in 11 CAD patients and to 2256 mm Hg/sec in eight normal subjects. T1 decreased more in CAD patients than in normal subjects (17 vs 7 msec; p less than 0.01). T1 changes also differed in the postpacing beat between CAD patients and normal subjects (-6 vs 5 msec; p less than 0.01) or when nifedipine was injected during the pacing (4 vs 20 msec; p less than 0.01). Intravenous calcium injection during atrial pacing in another group of 18 CAD patients further improved peak positive dP/dt and T1 (-3 msec; p less than 0.05) and normalized the changes in relaxation during the postpacing heart. Our data indicate that a variable coupling between LV inotropic state and relaxation rate exists in man during changes in calcium influx and that this coupling is abnormal in CAD patients.

Hemodynamic effects of molsidomine at rest and during submaximal and maximal exercise in patients with coronary artery disease limited by exertional angina pectoris.

To analyze the mechanisms of action of molsidomine, a new antianginal drug, 10 patients with coronary artery disease and exertional angina pectoris were studied. Hemodynamic measurements were made at rest, during submaximal exercise and during angina-limited exercise before and 1 hour after intravenous administration of 2 mg of molsidomine. When angina pectoris was prevented after the drug was given (6 of 10 patients), the exercise intensity was increased until the recurrence of angina (3 patients) or until exhaustion (3 patients), and hemodynamic data were recorded at this higher exercise capacity. At rest and during submaximal exercise, molsidomine increased heart rate and decreased cardiac output and mean systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures. The prevention of angina pectoris was attended by lower mean systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures and pressure-rate product; cardiac output and heart rate were unchanged. The greater exercise capacity (+26 percent) after molsidomine was attended by increases in maximal cardiac output (+19 percent) and in arteriovenous oxygen difference (+6 percent); the maximal pressure-rate product was unchanged and systemic vascular resistance was lower. The mechanisms of action of molsidomine are very similar to those of nitrates and imply a decrease in venous and arterial tone. Molsidomine deserves further study in patients with angina or congestive heart failure.