The utility of modified Butler-Leggett criteria for right ventricular hypertrophy in detection of clinically significant shunt ratio in ostium secundum-type atrial septal defect in adults

Background: This study was performed to test the hypothesis that there exists a correlation between the Butler-Leggett (BL) criterion for right ventricular hypertrophy on the electrocardiogram and the Qp/Qs shunt ratio in adults with ostium secundum atrial septal defects (ASDs). Methods: Demographic, cardiac catheterization, ASD closure, and electrocardiographic data were acquired on 70 patients with secundum ASDs closed percutaneously. Simple linear regression and logistic regression models were created to test the hypothesis. Results: The mean Qp/Qs ratio and BL criterion value were 1.61 +/- 0.46 and 0.11 +/- 0.41, respectively. The BL criterion values correlated with shunt ratios (r(2) = 0.11 and P = .004). A BL criterion value greater than 0 mV predicted a significant shunt ratio (Qp/Qs \u3e or = 1.5) (odds ratio, 4.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.3, 18.1; P = or \u3c.0001) with a sensitivity of 0.68 and specificity of 0.65. Conclusion: Our results indicate that there is limited utility of the BL criterion at detecting right ventricular volume overload, although a BL criterion value greater than 0 mV being used to identify patients with significant intracardiac shunts yielded a sensitivity of 0.68 and specificity of 0.65

The ability of mitral papillary muscle positions to explain QRS complex characteristics in humans

Anatomical location of the conduction system may influence the characteristics of the depolarization and thus characteristics of the QRS complex. It is known that in the heart, there are electro-anatomical relationships, such as relationships among the molecular, genetic and anatomic components of the conduction system and papillary muscles. This review aims to discuss how knowledge of the electro-anatomical developmental relationships helps in understanding the known variability to be observed in the human electrocardiograms

Transition from Acenocoumarol to Warfarin in a 12-year-old Child.

The types of coumadin anticoagulants registered and available for use differ between countries. Most frequently used coumadin anticoagulants are warfarin and acenocoumarol. Under several specific conditions, transition from one coumarin to another is required. Because of different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics, the transition from one type of coumarol to another type can be challenging. There are no studies that address this issue in children. We present the case report of transition treatment between acenocoumarol and warfarin in a 12-year-old child with prosthetic mitral valve

Importance of standardized assessment of late gadolinium enhancement for quantification of infarct size by cardiac magnetic resonance: implications for comparison with electrocardiogram.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is currently considered the reference standard for in vivo assessment of myocardial infarction (MI). There is, however, no international consensus on how MI quantification from CMR should be performed. The aim of this study was to test how previously published manual quantification of MI using CMR images compares with MI quantification using a semiautomated, validated method and how this impacts the relationship with MI size estimated by 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). METHODS: Twenty-five patients, from a previously published cohort, were included in the study. All patients had presented with clinical signs of acute coronary syndrome 6 to 12 months before undergoing a CMR examination. The patients had a standard 12-lead ECG recorded at the time of the CMR examination. The previously reported manually quantified MI size was compared with MI size determined using a semiautomated method validated by computer phantom data, experimental in vivo and ex vivo data, and patient data. The MI sizes from the 2 CMR approaches were then compared with the ECG-estimated MI size. RESULTS: There was a strong correlation between MI size determined with the 2 CMR methods (r(2) = 0.94, P < .001). There was, however, a systematic overestimation of MI size of approximately 50% by the previously published manually quantified MI size compared with the semiautomated method. This affected the comparison with estimated MI size by ECG, which showed a significant underestimation of MI size compared with manual CMR measurements, but no bias compared with the semiautomated CMR method. CONCLUSIONS: Manual quantification of MI size by CMR can differ significantly from semiautomated, validated methods taking partial volume effects into account and can lead to erroneous conclusions when compared with ECG

Computer-based rhythm diagnosis and its possible influence on nonexpert electrocardiogram readers.

BACKGROUND: Systems providing computer-based analysis of the resting electrocardiogram (ECG) seek to improve the quality of health care by providing accurate and timely automatic diagnosis of, for example, cardiac rhythm to clinicians. The accuracy of these diagnoses, however, remains questionable. OBJECTIVES: We tested the hypothesis that (a) 2 independent automated ECG systems have better accuracy in rhythm diagnosis than nonexpert clinicians and (b) both systems provide correct diagnostic suggestions in a large percentage of cases where the diagnosis of nonexpert clinicians is incorrect. METHODS: Five hundred ECGs were manually analyzed by 2 senior experts, 3 nonexpert clinicians, and automatically by 2 automated systems. The accuracy of the nonexpert rhythm statements was compared with the accuracy of each system statement. The proportion of rhythm statements when the clinician's diagnoses were incorrect and the systems instead provided correct diagnosis was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 420 sinus rhythms and 156 rhythm disturbances were recognized by expert reading. Significance of the difference in accuracy between nonexperts and systems was P = .45 for system A and P = .11 for system B. The percentage of correct automated diagnoses in cases when the clinician was incorrect was 28% ± 10% for system A and 25% ± 11% for system B (P = .09). CONCLUSION: The rhythm diagnoses of automated systems did not reach better average accuracy than those of nonexpert readings. The computer diagnosis of rhythm can be incorrect in cases where the clinicians fail in reaching the correct ECG diagnosis

Cardiovascular Simulation as a Decision Support Tool

The variable presentation of clinical disease in pediatric patients with congenital and acquired heart disease makes standardized care challenging. This is further enforced by the ongoing growth and remodeling of the heart and vasculature in the individual child and the multitude of available treatment options. The clinical challenge is rather to individualize treatment based on all available information. One option toward individualization of treatment is to use all available information as an input for clinical modeling. Simulation is not able to handle all the complexities in these clinical cases but may be useful in helping to handle the load of information and even look for missing information when analyzing the disease state and the effect of different treatment options in detail. We believe that a synthesis between clinical experience, available scientifical evidence from clinical studies, and predictions from simulations will improve decision making in future pediatric cardiology