Detection and measurement and of repolarisation features in atrial fibrillation and healthy subjects

Al-Karadi, Marwa Saeb

Abstract

Major cardiac organisations recommended U wave abnormalities should be reported during ECG interpretation. However, U waves cannot be measured in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) due to the obscuring fibrillatory wave.

The first aim of the research was to provide a validated algorithm to clean the ECGs of AF patients by removing the atrial fibrillatory waves so that the characteristics of ventricle repolarisation components, U and T waves, could be detected and measured accurately without fibrillatory wave contamination.

Having established a validated algorithm to measure the waveform features, the second aim was to use this algorithm to investigate the effect of beat interval dependency on the repolarisation waves, especially U waves, during AF and to compare them to those in sinus rhythm (SR) of healthy subjects. The research could provide mechanistic insight into the origin of U waves since AF is unique in its rapidly changing ventricular beat intervals. The preceding beat interval has a direct impact on ventricular filling dynamics and hence also on mechano-electrical coupling, one of the leading hypotheses of U wave genesis.

Algorithms were developed to remove the contaminating fibrillatory waves in AF recordings and to measure features of the ventricular repolarisation waves.

The ventricular repolarisation features, U and T waves, are measurable and dependent on preceding beat interval in AF and SR. The beat interval dependency of repolarisation features, especially the U wave, supported the mechano-electrical hypothesis during AF and SR.

The research provides tools to facilitate the detection and reporting of U waves and their abnormalities in AF patients and provides mechanistic insight into rate dependency of ventricular repolarisation features.

Citation

Al-Karadi, M. S. Detection and measurement and of repolarisation features in atrial fibrillation and healthy subjects. (Thesis). University of Hull. https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4222173

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Feb 24, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 23, 2023
• Keywords: Medical engineering
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4222173
• Additional Information: Department of Medical Engineering, The University of Hull
• Award Date: Jul 1, 2019