Key result
Genetic factors contributed moderately to the variance of ECG parameters, with heritability estimates of 0.34 for PR interval, 0.43 for QRS duration, 0.40 for QTc interval, and 0.34 for heart rate.
Observational (n=2,909)
No
Effect estimate: Heritability estimates: PR 0.34, QRS 0.43, QTc 0.40, HR 0.34
Genetic factors play a major role in determining ECG intervals and heart rate, contributing up to 43% of phenotypic variance in a rural Chinese population.
Moderate heritability does not alter ECG interpretation; leaves open ancestry-specific variant discovery and clinical translation.
BACKGROUND: Estimates of the genetic influences on electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters are inconsistent in previous reports, and no such studies have been performed in China. So we estimated genetic contributions to PR and QRS intervals and the rate-adjusted QT interval (Bazett's QTc) in a Chinese rural population. METHODS: A total of 2909 subjects from 847 families were enrolled in the current study. Genetic contributions to ECG parameters were estimated in two ways: correlation coefficients among family members (father-mother, parent-offspring, first sibling-other sibling) and the heritability of each of the ECG parameters. RESULTS: Our results showed significant correlations among family members on theses parameters: the correlation coefficients for PR interval, QRS duration, QTc interval, and HR, between parent-sibling, and sibling-sibling were 0.17 and 0.13, 0.18 and 0.23, 0.22 and 0.28, 0.19 and 0.18, respectively. The heritability for PR interval, QRS duration, QTc interval, and HR were estimated as 0.34, 0.43, 0.40, and 0.34, respectively. CONCLUSION: Genetic factors, together with the environmental and other cofactors contribute no more than 60% to the variance of the ECG intervals, supporting the concept that multiple factors, including gene-gene and gene-environment interactions could influence ECG interval phenotypes, and genetic factors play a major role.
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Li et al. (2009) conducted an observational in Healthy (Sinus Rhythm) (n=2,909). Genetic factors (heritability) vs. Environmental factors was evaluated on Heritability of PR interval, QRS duration, QTc interval, and Heart Rate (Heritability estimates: PR 0.34, QRS 0.43, QTc 0.40, HR 0.34). Genetic factors contributed moderately to the variance of ECG parameters, with heritability estimates of 0.34 for PR interval, 0.43 for QRS duration, 0.40 for QTc interval, and 0.34 for heart rate.
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