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Editorial

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5 pages, 158 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation

by Peter W. Macfarlane

Hearts 2022, 3(1), 1-5; https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts3010001 - 11 Jan 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3524

Abstract

It is over 120 years since Einthoven introduced the electrocardiogram [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation)

Research

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29 pages, 6464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Body Surface Potential Mapping: Contemporary Applications and Future Perspectives

by Jake Bergquist, Lindsay Rupp, Brian Zenger, James Brundage, Anna Busatto and Rob S. MacLeod

Hearts 2021, 2(4), 514-542; https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2040040 - 5 Nov 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 7056

Abstract

Body surface potential mapping (BSPM) is a noninvasive modality to assess cardiac bioelectric activity with a rich history of practical applications for both research and clinical investigation. BSPM provides comprehensive acquisition of bioelectric signals across the entire thorax, allowing for more complex and [...] Read more.

Body surface potential mapping (BSPM) is a noninvasive modality to assess cardiac bioelectric activity with a rich history of practical applications for both research and clinical investigation. BSPM provides comprehensive acquisition of bioelectric signals across the entire thorax, allowing for more complex and extensive analysis than the standard electrocardiogram (ECG). Despite its advantages, BSPM is not a common clinical tool. BSPM does, however, serve as a valuable research tool and as an input for other modes of analysis such as electrocardiographic imaging and, more recently, machine learning and artificial intelligence. In this report, we examine contemporary uses of BSPM, and provide an assessment of its future prospects in both clinical and research environments. We assess the state of the art of BSPM implementations and explore modern applications of advanced modeling and statistical analysis of BSPM data. We predict that BSPM will continue to be a valuable research tool, and will find clinical utility at the intersection of computational modeling approaches and artificial intelligence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation)

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10 pages, 948 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrocardiographic Predictors of Mortality: Data from a Primary Care Tele-Electrocardiography Cohort of Brazilian Patients

by Gabriela M. M. Paixão, Emilly M. Lima, Paulo R. Gomes, Derick M. Oliveira, Manoel H. Ribeiro, Jamil S. Nascimento, Antonio H. Ribeiro, Peter W. Macfarlane and Antonio L. P. Ribeiro

Hearts 2021, 2(4), 449-458; https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2040035 - 29 Sep 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3610

Abstract

Computerized electrocardiography (ECG) has been widely used and allows linkage to electronic medical records. The present study describes the development and clinical applications of an electronic cohort derived from a digital ECG database obtained by the Telehealth Network of Minas Gerais, Brazil, for [...] Read more.

Computerized electrocardiography (ECG) has been widely used and allows linkage to electronic medical records. The present study describes the development and clinical applications of an electronic cohort derived from a digital ECG database obtained by the Telehealth Network of Minas Gerais, Brazil, for the period 2010–2017, linked to the mortality data from the national information system, the Clinical Outcomes in Digital Electrocardiography (CODE) dataset. From 2,470,424 ECGs, 1,773,689 patients were identified. A total of 1,666,778 (94%) underwent a valid ECG recording for the period 2010 to 2017, with 1,558,421 patients over 16 years old; 40.2% were men, with a mean age of 51.7 [SD 17.6] years. During a mean follow-up of 3.7 years, the mortality rate was 3.3%. ECG abnormalities assessed were: atrial fibrillation (AF), right bundle branch block (RBBB), left bundle branch block (LBBB), atrioventricular block (AVB), and ventricular pre-excitation. Most ECG abnormalities (AF: Hazard ratio [HR] 2.10; 95% CI 2.03–2.17; RBBB: HR 1.32; 95%CI 1.27–1.36; LBBB: HR 1.69; 95% CI 1.62–1.76; first degree AVB: Relative survival [RS]: 0.76; 95% CI0.71–0.81; 2:1 AVB: RS 0.21 95% CI0.09–0.52; and RS 0.36; third degree AVB: 95% CI 0.26–0.49) were predictors of overall mortality, except for ventricular pre-excitation (HR 1.41; 95% CI 0.56–3.57) and Mobitz I AVB (RS 0.65; 95% CI 0.34–1.24). In conclusion, a large ECG database established by a telehealth network can be a useful tool for facilitating new advances in the fields of digital electrocardiography, clinical cardiology and cardiovascular epidemiology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation)

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19 pages, 3999 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Excitation and Contraction of the Failing Human Heart In Situ and Effects of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: Application of Electrocardiographic Imaging and Speckle Tracking Echo-Cardiography

by Christopher M. Andrews, Gautam K. Singh and Yoram Rudy

Hearts 2021, 2(3), 331-349; https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2030027 - 23 Jul 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3713

Abstract

Despite the success of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for treating heart failure (HF), the rate of nonresponders remains 30%. Improvements to CRT require understanding of reverse remodeling and the relationship between electrical and mechanical measures of synchrony. The objective was to utilize electrocardiographic [...] Read more.

Despite the success of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for treating heart failure (HF), the rate of nonresponders remains 30%. Improvements to CRT require understanding of reverse remodeling and the relationship between electrical and mechanical measures of synchrony. The objective was to utilize electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI, a method for noninvasive cardiac electrophysiology mapping) and speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) to study the physiology of HF and reverse remodeling induced by CRT. We imaged 30 patients (63% male, mean age 63.7 years) longitudinally using ECGI and STE. We quantified CRT-induced remodeling of electromechanical parameters and evaluated a novel index, the electromechanical delay (EMD, the delay from activation to peak contraction). We also measured dyssynchrony using ECGI and STE and compared their effectiveness for predicting response to CRT. EMD values were elevated in HF patients compared to controls. However, the EMD values were dependent on the activation sequence (CRT-paced vs. un-paced), indicating that the EMD is not intrinsic to the local tissue, but is influenced by factors such as opposing wall contractions. After 6 months of CRT, patients had increased contraction in native rhythm compared to baseline pre-CRT (baseline: −8.55%, 6 months: −10.14%, p = 0.008). They also had prolonged repolarization at the location of the LV pacing lead. The pre-CRT delay between mean lateral LV and RV electrical activation time was the best predictor of beneficial reduction in LV end systolic volume by CRT (Spearman’s Rho: −0.722, p < 0.001); it outperformed mechanical indices and 12-lead ECG criteria. HF patients have abnormal EMD. The EMD depends upon the activation sequence and is not predictive of response to CRT. ECGI-measured LV activation delay is an effective index for CRT patient selection. CRT causes persistent improvements in contractile function. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation)

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Review

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9 pages, 23257 KiB

Open AccessReview

ECG Interpretation: Clinical Relevance, Challenges, and Advances

by Nikita Rafie, Anthony H. Kashou and Peter A. Noseworthy

Hearts 2021, 2(4), 505-513; https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2040039 - 2 Nov 2021

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 37086

Abstract

Since its inception, the electrocardiogram (ECG) has been an essential tool in medicine. The ECG is more than a mere tracing of cardiac electrical activity; it can detect and diagnose various pathologies including arrhythmias, pericardial and myocardial disease, electrolyte disturbances, and pulmonary disease. [...] Read more.

Since its inception, the electrocardiogram (ECG) has been an essential tool in medicine. The ECG is more than a mere tracing of cardiac electrical activity; it can detect and diagnose various pathologies including arrhythmias, pericardial and myocardial disease, electrolyte disturbances, and pulmonary disease. The ECG is a simple, non-invasive, rapid, and cost-effective diagnostic tool in medicine; however, its clinical utility relies on the accuracy of its interpretation. Computer ECG analysis has become so widespread and relied upon that ECG literacy among clinicians is waning. With recent technological advances, the application of artificial intelligence-augmented ECG (AI-ECG) algorithms has demonstrated the potential to risk stratify, diagnose, and even interpret ECGs—all of which can have a tremendous impact on patient care and clinical workflow. In this review, we examine (i) the utility and importance of the ECG in clinical practice, (ii) the accuracy and limitations of current ECG interpretation methods, (iii) existing challenges in ECG education, and (iv) the potential use of AI-ECG algorithms for comprehensive ECG interpretation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation)

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23 pages, 2398 KiB

Open AccessReview

Applications of Machine Learning in Ambulatory ECG

by Joel Xue and Long Yu

Hearts 2021, 2(4), 472-494; https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2040037 - 13 Oct 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5863

Abstract

The ambulatory ECG (AECG) is an important diagnostic tool for many heart electrophysiology-related cases. AECG covers a wide spectrum of devices and applications. At the core of these devices and applications are the algorithms responsible for signal conditioning, ECG beat detection and classification, [...] Read more.

The ambulatory ECG (AECG) is an important diagnostic tool for many heart electrophysiology-related cases. AECG covers a wide spectrum of devices and applications. At the core of these devices and applications are the algorithms responsible for signal conditioning, ECG beat detection and classification, and event detections. Over the years, there has been huge progress for algorithm development and implementation thanks to great efforts by researchers, engineers, and physicians, alongside the rapid development of electronics and signal processing, especially machine learning (ML). The current efforts and progress in machine learning fields are unprecedented, and many of these ML algorithms have also been successfully applied to AECG applications. This review covers some key AECG applications of ML algorithms. However, instead of doing a general review of ML algorithms, we are focusing on the central tasks of AECG and discussing what ML can bring to solve the key challenges AECG is facing. The center tasks of AECG signal processing listed in the review include signal preprocessing, beat detection and classification, event detection, and event prediction. Each AECG device/system might have different portions and forms of those signal components depending on its application and the target, but these are the topics most relevant and of greatest concern to the people working in this area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation)

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13 pages, 4079 KiB

Open AccessReview

Computer Assisted Patient Monitoring: Associated Patient, Clinical and ECG Characteristics and Strategy to Minimize False Alarms

by Michele M. Pelter, David Mortara and Fabio Badilini

Hearts 2021, 2(4), 459-471; https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2040036 - 1 Oct 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 6766

Abstract

This chapter is a review of studies that have examined false arrhythmia alarms during in-hospital electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring in the intensive care unit. In addition, we describe an annotation effort being conducted at the UCSF School of Nursing, Center for Physiologic Research designed [...] Read more.

This chapter is a review of studies that have examined false arrhythmia alarms during in-hospital electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring in the intensive care unit. In addition, we describe an annotation effort being conducted at the UCSF School of Nursing, Center for Physiologic Research designed to improve algorithms for lethal arrhythmias (i.e., asystole, ventricular fibrillation, and ventricular tachycardia). Background: Alarm fatigue is a serious patient safety hazard among hospitalized patients. Data from the past five years, showed that alarm fatigue was responsible for over 650 deaths, which is likely lower than the actual number due to under-reporting. Arrhythmia alarms are a common source of false alarms and 90% are false. While clinical scientists have implemented a number of interventions to reduce these types of alarms (e.g., customized alarm settings; daily skin electrode changes; disposable vs. non-disposable lead wires; and education), only minor improvements have been made. This is likely as these interventions do not address the primary problem of false arrhythmia alarms, namely deficient and outdated arrhythmia algorithms. In this chapter we will describe a number of ECG features associated with false arrhythmia alarms. In addition, we briefly discuss an annotation effort our group has undertaken to improve lethal arrhythmia algorithms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation)

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16 pages, 1688 KiB

Open AccessReview

Automated ECG Interpretation—A Brief History from High Expectations to Deepest Networks

by Peter W. Macfarlane and Julie Kennedy

Hearts 2021, 2(4), 433-448; https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2040034 - 23 Sep 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 8404

Abstract

This article traces the development of automated electrocardiography from its beginnings in Washington, DC around 1960 through to its current widespread application worldwide. Changes in the methodology of recording ECGs in analogue form using sizeable equipment through to digital recording, even in wearables, [...] Read more.

This article traces the development of automated electrocardiography from its beginnings in Washington, DC around 1960 through to its current widespread application worldwide. Changes in the methodology of recording ECGs in analogue form using sizeable equipment through to digital recording, even in wearables, are included. Methods of analysis are considered from single lead to three leads to twelve leads. Some of the influential figures are mentioned while work undertaken locally is used to outline the progress of the technique mirrored in other centres. Applications of artificial intelligence are also considered so that the reader can find out how the field has been constantly evolving over the past 50 years. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation)

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15 pages, 10705 KiB

Open AccessReview

Current ECG Aspects of Interatrial Block

by Antoni Bayés-de-Luna, Miquel Fiol-Sala, Manuel Martínez-Sellés and Adrian Baranchuk

Hearts 2021, 2(3), 419-432; https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2030033 - 8 Sep 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4325

Abstract

Interatrial blocks like other types of block may be of first degree or partial second degree, also named transient atrial block or atrial aberrancy, and third degree or advanced. In first degree, partial interatrial block (P-IAB), the electrical impulse is conducted to the [...] Read more.

Interatrial blocks like other types of block may be of first degree or partial second degree, also named transient atrial block or atrial aberrancy, and third degree or advanced. In first degree, partial interatrial block (P-IAB), the electrical impulse is conducted to the left atrium, through the Bachmann’s region, but with delay. The ECG shows a P-wave ≥ 120 ms. In third-degree, advanced interatrial block (A-IAB), the electrical impulse is blocked in the upper part of the interatrial septum (Bachmann region); the breakthrough to LA has to be performed retrogradely from the AV junction zone. This explains the p ± in leads II, III and aVF. In typical cases of A-IAB, the P-wave morphology is biphasic (±) in leads II, III and aVF, because the left atrium is activated retrogradely and, therefore, the last part of the atrial activation falls in the negative hemifield of leads II, III and aVF. Recently, some atypical cases of A-IAB have been described. The presence of A-IAB is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation, stroke, dementia, and premature death. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation)

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9 pages, 341 KiB

Open AccessReview

The New ISO/IEC Standard for Automated ECG Interpretation

by Brian Young and Johann-Jakob Schmid

Hearts 2021, 2(3), 410-418; https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2030032 - 27 Aug 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 8383

Abstract

Updates to industry consensus standards for ECG equipment is a work-in-progress by the ISO/IEC Joint Work Group 22. This work will result in an overhaul of existing industry standards that apply to ECG electromedical equipment and will result in a new single international [...] Read more.

Updates to industry consensus standards for ECG equipment is a work-in-progress by the ISO/IEC Joint Work Group 22. This work will result in an overhaul of existing industry standards that apply to ECG electromedical equipment and will result in a new single international industry, namely 80601-2-86. The new standard will be entitled “80601, Part 2-86: Particular requirements for the basic safety and essential performance of electrocardiographs, including diagnostic equipment, monitoring equipment, ambulatory equipment, electrodes, cables, and leadwires”. This paper will provide a high-level overview of the work in progress and, in particular, will describe the impact it will have on requirements and testing methods for computerized ECG interpretation algorithms. The conclusion of this work is that manufacturers should continue working with clinical ECG experts to make clinically meaningful improvements to automated ECG interpretation, and the clinical validation of ECG analysis algorithms should be disclosed to guide appropriate clinical use. More cooperation is needed between industry, clinical ECG experts and regulatory agencies to develop new data sets that can be made available for use by industry standards for algorithm performance evaluation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation)

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26 pages, 3457 KiB

Open AccessReview

The History and Challenges of SCP-ECG: The Standard Communication Protocol for Computer-Assisted Electrocardiography

by Paul Rubel, Jocelyne Fayn, Peter W. Macfarlane, Danilo Pani, Alois Schlögl and Alpo Värri

Hearts 2021, 2(3), 384-409; https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2030031 - 24 Aug 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 6659

Abstract

Ever since the first publication of the standard communication protocol for computer-assisted electrocardiography (SCP-ECG), prENV 1064, in 1993, by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), SCP-ECG has become a leading example in health informatics, enabling open, secure, and well-documented digital data exchange at [...] Read more.

Ever since the first publication of the standard communication protocol for computer-assisted electrocardiography (SCP-ECG), prENV 1064, in 1993, by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), SCP-ECG has become a leading example in health informatics, enabling open, secure, and well-documented digital data exchange at a low cost, for quick and efficient cardiovascular disease detection and management. Based on the experiences gained, since the 1970s, in computerized electrocardiology, and on the results achieved by the pioneering, international cooperative research on common standards for quantitative electrocardiography (CSE), SCP-ECG was designed, from the beginning, to empower personalized medicine, thanks to serial ECG analysis. The fundamental concept behind SCP-ECG is to convey the necessary information for ECG re-analysis, serial comparison, and interpretation, and to structure the ECG data and metadata in sections that are mostly optional in order to fit all use cases. SCP-ECG is open to the storage of the ECG signal and ECG measurement data, whatever the ECG recording modality or computation method, and can store the over-reading trails and ECG annotations, as well as any computerized or medical interpretation reports. Only the encoding syntax and the semantics of the ECG descriptors and of the diagnosis codes are standardized. We present all of the landmarks in the development and publication of SCP-ECG, from the early 1990s to the 2009 International Organization for Standardization (ISO) SCP-ECG standards, including the latest version published by CEN in 2020, which now encompasses rest and stress ECGs, Holter recordings, and protocol-based trials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation)

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19 pages, 4768 KiB

Open AccessReview

Computer Modeling of the Heart for ECG Interpretation—A Review

by Olaf Dössel, Giorgio Luongo, Claudia Nagel and Axel Loewe

Hearts 2021, 2(3), 350-368; https://doi.org/10.3390/hearts2030028 - 26 Jul 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 7246

Abstract

Computer modeling of the electrophysiology of the heart has undergone significant progress. A healthy heart can be modeled starting from the ion channels via the spread of a depolarization wave on a realistic geometry of the human heart up to the potentials on [...] Read more.

Computer modeling of the electrophysiology of the heart has undergone significant progress. A healthy heart can be modeled starting from the ion channels via the spread of a depolarization wave on a realistic geometry of the human heart up to the potentials on the body surface and the ECG. Research is advancing regarding modeling diseases of the heart. This article reviews progress in calculating and analyzing the corresponding electrocardiogram (ECG) from simulated depolarization and repolarization waves. First, we describe modeling of the P-wave, the QRS complex and the T-wave of a healthy heart. Then, both the modeling and the corresponding ECGs of several important diseases and arrhythmias are delineated: ischemia and infarction, ectopic beats and extrasystoles, ventricular tachycardia, bundle branch blocks, atrial tachycardia, flutter and fibrillation, genetic diseases and channelopathies, imbalance of electrolytes and drug-induced changes. Finally, we outline the potential impact of computer modeling on ECG interpretation. Computer modeling can contribute to a better comprehension of the relation between features in the ECG and the underlying cardiac condition and disease. It can pave the way for a quantitative analysis of the ECG and can support the cardiologist in identifying events or non-invasively localizing diseased areas. Finally, it can deliver very large databases of reliably labeled ECGs as training data for machine learning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation)

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