On the consistency of ECG reports from two different computer-based ECG recorders.

Four consecutive computer-based ECG recordings/interpretations were made on each of 100 patients. Two of the recordings were made with the MAC II recorder (Marquette Electronics Inc., Milwaukee, USA) and two with the Cardisuny IC503FA (Fukuda M-E Kogyo Co. Ltd, Tokyo, Japan). Computer measurements of PQ interval, Q-width in III, R-amplitude in V5 and QRS axis in the frontal plane were compared between recordings, as also were diagnostic statements pertaining to the presence of atrial fibrillation and myocardial infarction. The MAC II was found to be more consistent than the Cardisuny as regards the measurements. There was a tendency that the MAC II was more specific than the Cardisuny and the Cardisuny more sensitive than the MAC II. The MAC II gave no false positive reports of atrial fibrillation and only one false positive report of myocardial infarction.