Digital processing and computer interpretation in electrocardiography (ECG)in all its various modalities including diagnostic (resting) ECGs, ECG monitors, ambulatory ECGs, signal-averaged ECGs, and exercise ECGs is the most available and least expensive test in cardiology. In the U.S. up to 150 million computerized diagnostic ECGs are performed annually. The ambulatory ECG and the signal-averaged ECG are used to estimate risk of sudden death from fatal cardiac rhythm disturbances. The exercise ECG is used to diagnose coronary disease. A particularly useful application of ECG is the determination heart rate variability (HRV), an index of autonomic nervous system influence upon the heart. In FY03, a follow-up study in the long term collaboration with Children's National Medical Center of HRV in syncopal patients was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. In collaboration with the Minnesota Heart Institute Foundation a meta-analysis of data for different diagnostic modalities including HRV, signal-average ECGs, frequent ventricular beats and ejection fraction has been performed to compare their prognostic power for predicting life threatening arrhthymias and/or sudden cardiac death after myocardial infarction. The results were applied to ten thousand patients in the CAST registry and to patients with diabetes which has resulted in papers and abstracts published in the Journal of Electrocardiology. J. Bailey still chairs the ECG Committee for the Association for Advancement of Medical Instrumentation supervising six working groups (subcommittees) dealing with national and international medical device standards. J. Bailey is still a member of the editorial Board for the Journal of Electrocardiology. This year J. Bailey became a key member of an American Heart Association committee commissioned to update and re-write standards for diagnostic electrocardiography.
| Bailey, J J; Berson, A S; Handelsman, H et al. (2001) Utility of current risk stratification tests for predicting major arrhythmic events after myocardial infarction. J Am Coll Cardiol 38:1902-11 |
| Bailey, J J; Berson, A S; Handelsman, H (2000) Dysrhythmia hazard after hospitalization for myocardial infarction: two ECG prognostic methods compared. J Electrocardiol 33 Suppl:151-4 |
| Laks, M M; Arzbaecher, R; Geselowitz, D et al. (2000) Revisiting the question: will relaxing safe current limits for electromedical equipment increase hazards to patients? Circulation 102:823-5 |
| Burklow, T R; Moak, J P; Bailey, J J et al. (1999) Neurally mediated cardiac syncope: autonomic modulation after normal saline infusion. J Am Coll Cardiol 33:2059-66 |
