Implementation of web database for ECG

The collection over a period of years of a large number of electrocardiograms (ECGs) from normal subjects has allowed the development of age and gender based limits of normality. Ease of access to this digital library among collaborators would be beneficial for future research studies. A friendly environment for retrieving the required information is a key component of the information system infrastructure of modern research projects. Due to the rapid growth of the global Internet, researchers are demanding an improvement of traditional techniques for storage of data in order to get required information in a convenient fashion. This feature is prototypical of web databases; thus they are widely used for their excellent capability of securely sharing data and providing fast access to on-line information. We have developed a web database in order to facilitate access to a valuable, decades-long collection of data: over 3000 normal ECGs from neonates, infants, adolescents and adults along with information about their age and sex. Patient name, ID, and personal information are kept confidential. A mean P, QRS, T cycle together with the usual fiducial points, wave durations, and interval measurements are available. This application is built around a three-tier architecture model using open source software. The base of the application (third tier) consists of the database management system. MySQL is used for this purpose. Built on the top of the third tier is the second tier that contains most of the application logic, which is achieved by using PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP). Apache web server is used to facilitate communication between tiers. The first tier (client) is typically web browser software that interacts with the application. This system provides the facility to acquire ECGs by features of interest, i.e., age, sex, heart rate, etc. Security is afforded by restricting access to research collaborators only. This web database provides a user-friendly environment for ease of data access, and has resulted in a significant improvement in the data retrieval rate. One early application has clearly demonstrated the divergence in selected ECG measurements in children and adolescents at about the time of puberty.