A Phi-based electrocardiographic index predicting small left ventricular mass alterations. Influence of hypertension, overweight, and sex

Background: The current cutoff value for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) does not accurately discriminate against minor changes in ventricular mass. Objective: To verify whether an electrocardiographic index can detect a 15 % increase in left ventricular mass (LVM) based on ideal chest diameter (ICD) using a Phi-based formula approach. Methodology: We assessed the records of 471 patients undergoing routine cardiac check-ups in a cross-sectional study, grouped by hypertension, overweight, and sex. The index was the sum of the leads (DI, DII, DIII), with a threshold of less than 23 mm. The ideal cardiothoracic diameter (ICD) was defined as height(H)/8.1 for men and H/7.8 for women. The LVM was calculated as 16*((ICD/10)^3). The groups were compared using the Chi-Square test, T-test, and logistic multinomial regression, as appropriate.