Estimation of noise effects on computerized ECG analysis: a new approach

In order to quantify the effect of noise under the multiple condition of routine use, we analyzed ECGs from a data base including 3482 cases, each consisting of two computer-processed twelve lead resting ECG records with exactly determined signal quality conditions. The noise exposure of each ECG has been described by variables representing type and intensity of noise in the different leads. Our approach relates distortions of diagnostic outcomes to relevant noise exposure, determined by multivariate linear discriminant analyses.