Descriptive characteristics of the electrocardiogram from autopsied men free of cardiopulmonary disease--a basis for evaluating criteria for ventricular hypertrophy.

Most measurements establishing standard values for the normal electrocardiogram have been derived from a healthy population, whereas many electrocardiographic interpretations are necessary in hospitalized or seriously ill patients. Therefore, the characteristics of the electrocardiogram were described from 48 autopsied men known to be free of cardiopulmonary disease by clinical assessment and by a special cardiac examination using postmortem coronary angiography and a chamber partition technique. Highest values, mean and standard deviation, and the upper 97.5 percentile or lower 2.5 percentile when appropriate were noted for QRS voltage, QRS axis and duration, and intrinsicoid deflection in V5 or V6. Any ST-segment and T-wave changes were noted as well as left and right atrial abnormalities. Twenty-eight electrocardiographic criteria recommended to detect left ventricular hypertrophy and 10 recommended to detect right ventricular hypertrophy were evaluated for percentage of false-positive results and the 97.5 percentile value for each criterion was developed from the present data base. The data in this study can be used as a standard for comparing electrocardiographic variation in middle-aged men with specific relevance for electrocardiographic criteria of ventricular hypertrophy.