Towards open data interchange and processing of serial ECGs

The main objective of project #2026 of the European Programme for Advanced Informatics in Medicine (AIM) is to promote Open European Data Interchange and Processing for Electrocardiography (OEDIPE) by setting up demonstration systems for the follow-up of selected heart diseased populations integrating serial analysis, decision support, open databases, and communication protocols. The authors report on the results obtained so far and the activities planned for the next two years. The first objective of the project, which started in January 1992, was to implement electronic data interchange of digital electrocardiograms (ECGs) following the lines of the SCP-ECG standard communications protocol. Potential problems related to home or emergency situation data collection and transmission are addressed. Another objective is to implement and to test the conceptual ECG data storage reference model which has been developed during the preliminary AIM phase and to set up a European database for the follow-up of heart transport patients. The third objective is to develop and to test methods of serial ECG analysis for the early detection of acute myocardial infarction, the diagnosis of acute and chronic heart transplant rejection, and the follow-up of patients suffering from chronic coronary disease. The final objective is to promote OEDIPE by setting up demonstrator systems for the follow-up of selected heart diseased populations