Usefulness of an abnormal signal-averaged electrocardiogram for predicting cardiac death in elderly persons without heart disease

We found an abnormal signal-averaged ECG in 7 of 51 elderly patiente (14%) (mean age 83 years) without clinical evidence of heart disease, and in 1 of 25 volunteers (4%) (mean age 31 years [range 17 to 47]) without clinical evidence of heart disease.1 The data from bur prospective study indicate that at 43-month mean follow-up, elderly patients with an abnormal signal-averaged ECG but no clinical evidence of heart disease do not have an increased incidence of sudden cardiac death, total cardiac death, or total death.