P3511Gender differences in electrocardiographic risk markers of heart failure

Background Heart failure (HF) is one the leading causes of hospitalization in the Western world. Women have a lower rate of HF hospitalization and mortality compared to men. Role of 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) as a risk marker of future HF in women is not well known. Purpose We studied the association of standard 12-lead ECG and clinical risk factors to HF hospitalization in women and in men separately from a large middle aged general population sample with a long-term follow-up. Methods Standard 12-lead ECG markers were analyzed from 10,864 subjects (48.8% women, N=5,215) of the prospective Mobile Clinic Study, and their predictive value for HF hospitalization was analyzed. Results During the follow-up (29.6±11.2 yrs.), a total of 1,743 subjects had HF hospitalization; out of these, 861 were women (49.4%). Several baseline characteristics, such as age, body mass index, blood pressure, and history of prior cardiac disease predicted the occurrence of HF both in women and men (P Conclusions ECG sign of LVH predicts future HF in middle-aged women independently, and T wave inversions and elevated heart rate are associated with HF hospitalization in men in. Acknowledgement/Funding Finnish Cultural Foundation, The University of Oulu Scholarship Foundation, Juho Vainio Foundation