[Diagnostic value of right thoracic ECG recording in detection of pulmonary hypertension in chronic obstructive respiratory disease].

There are many electrocardiographic criteria of pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale. These criteria are generally highly specific but not sensitive. Therefore many patients with pulmonary hypertension remain undetected. The aim of this study was to delineate a sensitive as well as a specific ECG parameter for noninvasive prediction of pulmonary hypertension under special consideration of the right thoracic leads. 75 patients were included in this study, 62 male and 13 female, mean age 62.7 +/- 9.5 years. All presented with chronic obstructive lung disease known since 12.1 +/- 9.7 years. The underlying disease had been confirmed clinically and by body plethysmography. Laboratory and lung function data showed a high air way resistance with a mean value of 6.8 +/- 3.3 cm H2O/l/s and a high intrathoracic gas volume of 149.1% of the expected value. The severity of hypoxemia was variable but generally moderate with a PaO2 of 65.3 +/- 11.6 mm Hg on average. All patients applied aerosols with ipratropiumbromid, fenoterol and glucocorticoids. 92% additionally received aminophylline and 87.0% oral glucocorticoids. Diuretics and glycosides were prescribed in 50.0% and 34.8% respectively. The four right thoracic ECG leads Vr3 to Vr6 were recorded in addition to the common twelve leads I to III, a VR, aVL, aVF and V1 to V6. A modified Sokolow-Lyon-Index (SIm) as a sum of amplitudes of R in lead Vr3 and S in lead V6 and the combination of SIm with PaO2 (SIm-PaO2, n = 44) according to the formula SIm + 0.02 (100--PaO2%) were established. Additionally a right heart catherization by Swan-Ganz technique was performed. The mean values of hemodynamic data demonstrated a constellation of precapillary pulmonary hypertension with high PAPm and pulmonary resistance and low pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (26.4 +/- 12.9 mm Hg, 396.0 +/- 294.0 dyn.s./cm5 and 8.7 +/- 4.2 mm Hg, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)