Heart disease program for school children and high school students in Osaka City: an introduction of computer assisted ECG analysis system as a screening tool.

Abstract

Fukuda ECP-100 computer assisted ECG analysis system was introduced into the heart disease program for school children and high school students in Osaka City in 1979. This analysis system was used as screening tool and 39,532 of 4th graders of primary schools were examined during the first year. To evaluate and improve this analysis system a "pilot study" was organized and 52 school physicians and 10 specialists made up a "working group". "Urgent reference codes" were set to be printed out so that the limitation of the present system of the Heart Disease Program should be compensated. Problems of the ECG analysis system were as follows. The Q wave registered too wide and there were same difficulties in recognizing the end point of the T wave. Recognition ot tiny "r" wave seemed to be impossible and base line sway seemed responsible for numerous erroneous outputs. Some cases corresponding to code "4-n-n" were found to be normal after further examination. This system can be said to be useful as a screening tool. Using this system at least 4 cases of serious lesion were newly detected, one case of myocarditis and 3 cases of myocardial diseases.