CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS AND ELECTROGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ABNORMALITIES IN MIDDLE-AGED MALES

Objectives. To evaluate if characteristics and abnormalities found at the electrocardiogram (EGG) are related to common cardiovascular risk factors included in the insulin-resistance metabolic syndrome. Design. Cross-sectional. Setting. Tertiary university hospital. Subjects. Ove r 2000 middle-aged males in whom ECG abnormalities were recorded, toge ther with ECG characteristics measured in a random sample of men with no ECG abnormalities (n = 113). Interventions. None. Results. All thre e components of the metabolic syndrome; elevated blood pressure, dysli pidaemia and hyperinsulinaemia were found to be related to the heart r ate (P < 0.002) and the QRS-duration (P < 0.01) and inversely to the Q (o)T-interval (P < 0.05), the early diastolic phase (P < 0.05) and the T-wave amplitude (P < 0.02). The components of the metabolic syndrome was furthermore found to be associated with the occurrence of T-wave abnormalities (n = 64, P < 0.01) and to a lesser degree also to the oc currence of Q-waves (n = 21). Conclusions. The components of the insul in-resistance metabolic syndrome were related both to certain ECG char acteristics in subjects with a normal ECG and to some ECG abnormalitie s. A raised sympathetic activity is likely to be the link between some of the described associations, whilst coronary heart diseases may exp lain others.