Usefulness of three ECG analysis methods in evaluation of ventricular ectopic activity of asymptomatic sportsmen

The authors studied 14 asymptomatic sportsmen (mean age 17.6 years, range 11-35), practising agonistic activity, with arrhythmias in standard electrocardiograms (ECGs) and normal echocardiograms. The study had three main aims: (1) the search for discriminant parameters to identify threatening arrhythmias with respect to those not at risk, (2) the connection with changes in sympathetic and parasympathetic components, and (3) a pathophysiological understanding of the mechanisms causing the onset of ventricular arrhythmias. The study evaluated arrhythmia behavior by the cycloergometer-effort test, 48 hours Holter monitoring, head-up tilt test, and serum catecolamines RIA evaluation. ECG analysis was performed by the computer with an algorithm procedure