Comparison of the standard ECG with the EASIcardiogram for ischemia detection during exercise monitoring

The methodology for constructing the 12 lead ECG from Dower´s EASI lead system-5 electrodes, all located at easy landmarks over bony areas of the thorax-has been recently updated with newly optimized coefficients. To test the ability of the updated EASIcardiogram to detect ischemia, 54 patients undergoing symptom limited, Bruce protocol exercise testing were studied with simultaneous standard 10 electrode and EASI 5 electrode lead systems. Concordance between the two systems was 83%. In 34 patients with recent coronary angiograms sensitivity and specificity of the EASIcardiogram for detection of coronary disease were at least as good as that of the standard EGG. It is concluded that ST segment depression detected by the EASIcardiogram is very similar to that which is detected by the standard ECG and that the EASIcardiogram appears to have sensitivity and specificity at least equal to that of the standard ECG for detection of myocardial ischemia