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BACKGROUND: the objective of this study is to investigate the detection rate of undiagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF) with short intermittent ECG recordings during four weeks among out-of-hospital patients, having at least one additional risk factor (CHADS2) for stroke.

METHOD: Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Eight family practice centres and two hospital-based out-patient clinics in Sweden. Subjects: 989 out-of-hospital patients, without known AF, having one or more risk factors associated with stroke (CHADS2). Interventions: All individuals were asked to perform 10-second handheld ECG recordings during 28 days, twice daily and when having palpitations. Main outcome measures: Episodes of AF on handheld ECG recordings were defined as irregular supraventricular extrasystoles in series with a duration of 10 seconds.

RESULTS: 928 patients completed registration. AF was found in 35 of 928 patients; 3.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.7--5.2). These 35 patients had a mean age of 70.7 years (SD +/- 7.7; range 53--85) and a median CHADS2 of 2 (range 1--4).

CONCLUSIONS: Intermittent handheld ECG recording over a four week period had a detection rate of 3.8% newly diagnosed AF, in a population of 928 out-of-hospital patients having at least one additional risk factor for stroke. Intermittent handheld ECG registration is a feasible method to detect AF in patients with an increased risk of stroke in whom oral anticoagulation (OAC) treatment is indicated.

Background: Many patients report symptoms of palpitations or dizziness/presyncope. These patients are often referred for 24-hour Holter ECG, although the sensitivity for detecting relevant arrhythmias is comparatively low. Intermittent short ECG recording over a longer time period might be a convenient and more sensitive alternative. The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of 24-hour Holter ECG with intermittent short ECG recording over four weeks to detect relevant arrhythmias in patients with palpitations or dizziness/presyncope.

Methods:

Design: prospective, observational, cross-sectional study. Setting: Clinical Physiology, University Hospital. Patients: 108 consecutive patients referred for ambiguous palpitations or dizziness/presyncope.

Interventions: All individuals underwent a 24-hour Holter ECG and additionally registered 30-second handheld ECG (Zenicor EKG ((R)) thumb) recordings at home, twice daily and when having cardiac symptoms, during 28 days.

Main outcome measures: Significant arrhythmias: atrial fibrillation (AF), paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), atrioventricular (AV) block II-III, sinus arrest (SA), wide complex tachycardia (WCT).

Results: 95 patients, 42 men and 53 women with a mean age of 54.1 years, completed registrations. Analysis of Holter registrations showed atrial fibrillation (AF) in two patients and atrioventricular (AV) block II in one patient (= 3.2% relevant arrhythmias [95% CI 1.1-8.9]). Intermittent handheld ECG detected nine patients with AF, three with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) and one with AV-block-II (= 13.7% relevant arrhythmias [95% CI 8.2-22.0]). There was a significant difference between the two methods in favour of intermittent ECG with regard to the ability to detect relevant arrhythmias (P = 0.0094). With Holter ECG, no symptoms were registered during any of the detected arrhythmias. With intermittent ECG, symptoms were registered during half of the arrhythmia episodes.

Conclusions: Intermittent short ECG recording during four weeks is more effective in detecting AF and PSVT in patients with ambiguous symptoms arousing suspicions of arrhythmia than 24-hour Holter ECG.