Electrocardiographic Findings in Apparently Healthy Adolescents in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, West Africa

Background: Electrocardiography (ECG) is an inexpensive, quick, non-invasive, widely available and reliable screening tool in the assessment of the electrical activity of the heart, and is vital in the detection of potentially lethal sub-clinical structural or electrophysiological cardiovascular abnormalities. ECG pattern in children have been established in some regions in Nigeria but is however lacking in the Niger-Delta region of Southern Nigeria.

Objective: To determine the ECG pattern of apparently healthy adolescents in the Niger-Delta Region of Southern Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 1002 secondary school subjects, aged 10-19 years. The ECG recording was performed using a standard 12 lead, portable digital electrocardiograph.

Results: There were 595 (59.4%) males and 407 (40.6%) females with a male to female ratio of 1.5:1. The study population had a mean ECG heart rate of 82bpm, PR interval of 0.15 sec, P wave duration of 0.08 sec, QRS duration of 0.08 sec, QTc interval of 0.42 sec, and QRS axis of 58°. The mean heart rate and QTc interval were significantly higher in the females, while the QRS duration was significantly higher in the males. The P wave amplitude in lead II was 1.3 mm, R wave amplitude in V1 and V6 were 4.06 mm and 10.68 mm respectively. The S wave amplitude in V1 and V6 were 11.44 mm and 0.56 mm respectively.

Conclusion: ECG pattern of adolescents in the Niger-Delta region of Southern Nigeria is now established; but shows some differences from the studies in other parts of Nigeria and the world.