Quantification of the first-order high-pass filter's influence on the automatic measurements of the electrocardiogram

TY - JOUR

T1 - Quantification of the first-order high-pass filter's influence on the automatic measurements of the electrocardiogram

AU - Isaksen, Jonas

AU - Leber, Remo

AU - Schmid, Ramun

AU - Schmid, Hans-jakob

AU - Generali, Gianluca

AU - Abächerli, Roger

PY - 2017/2/1

Y1 - 2017/2/1

N2 - Background and objective The first-order high-pass filter (AC coupling) has previously been shown to affect the ECG for higher cut-off frequencies. We seek to find a systematic deviation in computer measurements of the electrocardiogram when the AC coupling with a 0.05'Hz first-order high-pass filter is used. Methods The standard 12-lead electrocardiogram from 1248 patients and the automated measurements of their DC and AC coupled version were used. We expect a large unipolar QRS-complex to produce a deviation in the opposite direction in the ST-segment. Results We found a strong correlation between the QRS integral and the offset throughout the ST-segment. The coefficient for J amplitude deviation was found to be −0.277'µV/(µV⋅s). Conclusions Potential dangerous alterations to the diagnostically important ST-segment were found. Medical professionals and software developers for electrocardiogram interpretation programs should be aware of such high-pass filter effects since they could be misinterpreted as pathophysiology or some pathophysiology could be masked by these effects.

AB - Background and objective The first-order high-pass filter (AC coupling) has previously been shown to affect the ECG for higher cut-off frequencies. We seek to find a systematic deviation in computer measurements of the electrocardiogram when the AC coupling with a 0.05'Hz first-order high-pass filter is used. Methods The standard 12-lead electrocardiogram from 1248 patients and the automated measurements of their DC and AC coupled version were used. We expect a large unipolar QRS-complex to produce a deviation in the opposite direction in the ST-segment. Results We found a strong correlation between the QRS integral and the offset throughout the ST-segment. The coefficient for J amplitude deviation was found to be −0.277'µV/(µV⋅s). Conclusions Potential dangerous alterations to the diagnostically important ST-segment were found. Medical professionals and software developers for electrocardiogram interpretation programs should be aware of such high-pass filter effects since they could be misinterpreted as pathophysiology or some pathophysiology could be masked by these effects.

U2 - 10.1016/j.cmpb.2016.11.003

DO - 10.1016/j.cmpb.2016.11.003

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28187886

SN - 0169-2607

VL - 139

SP - 163

EP - 169

JO - Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine

JF - Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine

ER -