Performance of electrocardiographic criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy as compared with cardiac computed tomography: from the Rule Out Myocardial Infarction Using Computer Assisted Tomography trial.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac computed tomography (CT) is a state-of-the-art technology that provides an accurate noninvasive method to quantify left ventricular mass for analysis of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). We aimed to examine seven ECG-based LVH criteria against two CT indexation criteria for LVH: a CT-specific body surface area cutoff and the obesity-independent height criteria.

METHODS: In 333 patients (mean age 53 +/- 12 years, 61% men), 64-slice contrast-enhanced CT was performed and 12-lead surface ECG within 24 h. Left ventricular mass was measured at end-diastole. Using both CT indexation criteria, the cohort was subdivided into patients with LVH and without LVH. The seven ECG criteria for LVH were the Cornell voltage index, Cornell voltage duration product, Cornell/strain index, Sokolow-Lyon index, Romhilt-Estes scores at least 4 and at least 5, and Gubner-Ungerleider.

RESULTS: The ECG parameters had high specificities (85-97%) and variable low sensitivities (4-43%) when compared to either CT criteria of LVH. The three Cornell-based methods performed the best (test-positive likelihood ratio: 4.5-6.7), followed by the Sokolow-Lyon and Romhilt-Estes scores (test-positive likelihood ratio: 2.3-4.0). With the exception of the Gubner-Ungerleider criterion, the other six ECG criteria were associated with at least one of the CT-based LVH (adjusted odds ratio 2.4-9.5) and had incremental predictive value beyond that of hypertension history.

CONCLUSION: Using cardiac CT as a gold standard for LVH assessment, ECG criteria for LVH have high specificities with the three Cornell-based criteria providing the best test performance for identifying patients with LVH.