Why the study?
Sex-specific electrocardiographic reference values and repolarization pattern differences in healthy Vietnamese late adolescents were not established.
Cross-Sectional (n=5,127)
p-value: p=<0.001
This study establishes sex-specific ECG reference values for healthy Vietnamese late adolescents, highlighting significant differences in repolarization patterns between males and females.
Supports sex-specific ECG references for Vietnamese late adolescents; leaves open generalizability and clinical impact pending validation.
Study objective: To establish sex-specific electrocardiographic (ECG) reference values in healthy Vietnamese late adolescents and characterize sex-based differences in repolarization patterns. Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Setting: University health screening program in Vietnam. Participants: A total of 5127 first-year university students (58.6 % female; age 17-29 years), all asymptomatic and without known cardiovascular or metabolic disease. Interventions: None. Main outcome measures: Standard ECG parameters (heart rate, PR interval, QRS duration, QTc, QRST angle), J-point elevation, ST-segment amplitude, and T-wave morphology in leads V1-V6, stratified by sex. Results: < 0.001). Females had higher heart rates (83 vs. 80 bpm), shorter PR intervals (138 vs. 140 ms), and longer QTc intervals (423 vs. 406 ms), while males showed longer QRS durations (90 vs. 80 ms) and narrower QRST angles. In precordial leads, males exhibited higher J-point and ST-segment amplitudes, especially in V2-V3, with the 98th percentile of ST60V2 reaching 0.40 mV. Anterior T-wave inversion (TWI) was more common in females, notably in V1 (71.3 % vs. 48.1 %) and V2 (2.5 % vs. 0.9 %). TWI beyond V2 was rare in both sexes. Conclusion: This is the first large-scale study to define sex-specific ECG reference values in a Vietnamese cohort. Marked differences in repolarization patterns emphasize the importance of ethnicity- and sex-specific criteria to enhance diagnostic accuracy and avoid misinterpretation in Southeast Asian populations.
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Ngoc et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy (n=5,127). Female sex vs. Male sex was evaluated on Standard ECG parameters, J-point elevation, ST-segment amplitude, and T-wave morphology (p=<0.001).
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