NHLBI WORKSHOP ON THE UTILIZATION OF ECG DATABASES - PRESERVATION ANDUSE OF EXISTING ECG DATABASES AND DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE RESOURCES

Baseline examinations and periodic reexaminations in longitudinal popu lation studies, together with ongoing surveillance for morbidity and m ortality, provide unique opportunities for seeking ways to enhance the value of the electrocardiogram (ECG) recorded with digital technology as an inexpensive and noninvasive tool for prognosis and diagnosis. C linicians, epidemiologists, and engineers from industry, government, a nd academic medical centers gathered at a workshop sponsored by the Na tional Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) on June 11-12, 1997, t o discuss the research potential of ECG databases, their preservation and accession, and standards for recording and storage. Databases cons idered were those acquired in ongoing and future NHLBI-funded studies and in clinical settings in which the ECG continues to provide valuabl e information for evaluation and treatment. The accessibility of exist ing databases, the quality of their data, and the availability of anci llary demo,oraphic and clinical information were major themes. Also di scussed were appropriate statistical methodologies to be used with the se data for developing and testing ECG algorithms. The workshop partic ipants affirmed the value of these databases and urged the establishme nt of an ECG advisory and review group to (1) resolve technical and pr oprietary issues for the utilization of currently existing databases; (2) develop standards for recording, storage, and utilization of ECGs in future NHLBI-supported studies; (3) oversee the creation of a natio nal ECG database resource, consisting of an archive of ECG databases f rom past and ongoing NHLBI-supported studies, and a registry of ECG da tabases that would eventually include digital ECGs from populations cu rrently underrepresented in the demographic spectrum of the NHLBI data bases.