Prevalence of ECG Findings and Arrhythmias in Turkish Adults: Eight-year Follow-up

A random sample of the Turkish adult population 3689 persons 20 years of age or older were surveyed in 59 communities with the purpose of determining the prevalence of arrhythmias and other ECG abnormalities in 1990. ECGs were coded acording to the Minnesota code. Observed prevalence of ECG findings are given below at a rate per 1000: Q/QS patterns 8.4, ST depression 9, T-wave changes 24.6, left axis deviation 30.9, tall left ventricutar R waves 16.8, WPW pattern 0.8, left bundle-branch block (BBB) 3.5, right BBB 4.3, frequent premature beats 10.3, atrial fibrillation/flutter 3.5 and low QRS voltage 13. In this article, the results of 8 year follow-up of 66 percent of these patients (N: 2535) are presented. The prevalance of Q/QS pattern was 10.6, ST depression 11.0, T wave changes 42.9, left axis deviation 74.6, tall left ventricular R waves 11.8, WPW pattern 0.3, left BBB 5.5, right BBB 7.1, frequent premature beats 11.6, atrial fibrillation/flutter 7.1 and low QRS voltage 4.7. Expressed in age-adjusted rates (above 40 years), prevalance rates per 1000 persons were as follows: Q/QS pattern was 16.1 and 13.0, ST depression 12.5 and 14.5, T wave changes 50.9 and 52.8, left BBB 6.5 and 7.3, right BBB 7.7 and 8.2, left axis deviation 50.3 and 44.5, tall left ventricular R waves 31.4 and 14.5, WPW pattern 0.8 and 0.3, frequent premature beats 15.5 and 14.5, atrial fibrillation/flutter 8.3 and 9.3 in 1990 and 1998, respectively. In conclusion, nearly all ECG findings were similar in 1990 and 1998 following age-adjusting, but the prevalances of Q/QS pattern, ST-T abnormalities and left BBB representative of coronary heart disease were lower in Turkish adults according the Western countries.