Diagnostic accuracy of the resting electrocardiogram in detection and estimation of left atrial enlargement: An echocardiographic correlation in 551 patients

Abstract

The identification of LA enlargement may have important clinical implications. Previous correlations of ECG P wave morphologies associated with LA enlargement and echocardiography have been limited by the use of small numbers of patients and by the employment of M-mode echocardiography without the benefit of two-dimensional guidance. The purpose of this study was to further examine the sensitivity and specificity of various P wave morphologies (P wave ≥110 msec, notched P ≥ 40 msec, and PTFV1 ≥ 40 msec · mm) for the diagnosis of LA enlargement and to determine if these waveforms may be predictive of LA size. ECGs and surface echocardiograms obtained within 1 week of each other were evaluated..