Evaluation of accuracy and reliability of electrocardiographs interpreted by emergency medicine assistants

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate accuracy and reliability of the electrocardiographs interpreted by the Emergency Medicine assistants and to determine compatibility between the interpretations of the electrocardiographs read by the emergency medicine assistants and cardiologist. This study was performed in the prospective and sectional manner on 252 patients who applied to Uludag University Health Application and Research Center Emergency Department between 12.06.2008 and 12.07.2008 and whose triage categories were 1 and 2. The ECGs were evaluated by the Emergency Medicine assistants and cardiologist independently of each other. The interpretations made by the cardiologist accepted as the gold standard. 252 patients were included in the study. 60% of them was male (n= 152) and 39.7% of them was female (n= 100), and the mean age was found as 59.4 (± 13.6). 23% (n=58) of 73 ECGs interpreted by the cardiologist was seen that they normally interpreted by the Emergency Medicine assistants. 179 electrocardiograms evaluated by the cardiologist were determined that they contained the pathologies as the major for 39, as the potential clinical importance for 78 and as the minor for 62. 187 electrocardiograms evaluated by the Emergency Medicine assistants were determined th at they contained the pathologies as the major for 25, as the potential clinical importance for 89 and as the minor for 73. In our study, we detected that there was significantly compatibility between the interpretation skills of electrocardiograms for the cardiologist and Emergency Medicine assistants. We also distinguished that there were important deficiencies. The electrocardiogram interpretation skills can be further improved by the trainings that will be given bedside.