Comparison of Araoye's criteria with standard electrocardiographic criteria for diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy in Nigerian hypertensives.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Various electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria for LHV give poorer performance in black subjects when compared with white subjects. Araoye proposed a code system for improved ECG diagnosis of LVH in blacks. The Araoye's criteria are yet to be validated in black subjects.

STUDY DESIGN: Electrocardiograms and echocardiograms were obtained from 100 hypertensive subjects and 60 controls. ECG LVH was determined by the Araoye's code criteria, Sokolow-Lyon; Cornell voltage; and Romhilt-Estes point score. Echocardiographic LVH was defined by LV mass indexed for height at 97.5 percentile of the controls (126 g.m(-1) and 130 g.m(-1) in females and males respectively).

RESULTS: The prevalence of echocardiographic LVH indexed for height was 34% and 1.67% in the hypertensive and controls respectively while the prevalence of electrocardiographic LVH among the hypertensives were 18% by Romhilt Estes score, 48% by Sokolow-Lyon's criteria, 22% by Cornell's criteria and 51% by Araoye's criteria. The sensitivity and specificity respectively of the various electrocardiographic criteria were 65.7% and 76.8% for Sokolow-Lyon, 25.7% and 88.8% for Cornell's criteria 25.7% and 92.8% for Romhilt-Estes score and 71.4% and 74.4% for Araoye's criteria. Araoye's criteria did not differ significantly from Sokolow-Lyon criteria in identifying LVH but differed significantly from Cornell and Romhilt-Estes criteria. The number of positive codes in Araoye's criteria was significantly associated with the blood pressures, LV dimensions, and LV mass.

CONCLUSION: The Araoye's code system for electrocardiographic diagnosis of LVH offer no comparative advantage over Sokolow-Lyon's criteria. However, the number of positive codes in Araoye's criteria identifies those individuals with more severe LVH.