Usefulness of total 12-lead QRS voltage in diagnosing left ventricular hypertrophy in clinically isolated, pure, chronic, severe mitral regurgitation

Abstract

Electrocardiographic criteria for diagnosing left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy are known to be relatively nonspecific and insensitive. Several studies from this laboratory 1–7 and elsewhere 8–10 have described total 12-lead QRS voltage in various cardiac diseases, and most have found this criterion to be more sensitive than previously described criteria. We examined total 12-lead QRS voltage in 24 necropsied patients with chronic, pure, isolated mitral regurgitation, and compared its sensitivity to the Sokolow-Lyon and Romhilt-Estes criteria for diagnosis of LV hypertrophy.