Abstract 18307: The Pediatric Heart Network Digital Normal ECG Database: Measurements of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Vary by Sex and Race

Introduction: The ECG is a useful cardiac diagnostic and screening tool, but current utility is limited by absence of reliable normal reference values across all age, sex, and race categories. Hypothesis: Contemporary ECG measurements in children from North America vary by sex and race and differ from norms commonly used in practice. Methods: Digital 12-lead ECGs were retrospectively collected from healthy children ≤18 years who simultaneously had a normal echo at 19 centers in the PHN. The indication for studies was not collected. Exclusion criteria were cardiac or systemic disease or family history of cardiomyopathy. Patients were classified into 36 study groups: 6 age (<1 month; 1 month - <3 years; 3 - <6 years; 6 - <12 years; 12 - <16 years; 16-18 years), 2 sex, and 3 race (white, African-American, and other/mixed). Among other parameters the R wave amplitude in V6 was measured; mean±SD were determined by sex and race for each age group. Multivariate analysis, stratified by age group, was conducted us...