Heart failure & cardiomyopathies
Sex-specific electrocardiographic criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy in young athletes
Authors' conclusion
Our findings demonstrate that the 99th percentile values for sex-specific QRS voltage criteria (SL score of >6.8 mV for males and >4.7 for females; LL score of >2.3 mV for males and >1.9 mV for females) can enhance ECG criteria in athletes by increasing sensitivity for pathological hypertrophy with modest decreases in specificity.
Study context
- Population
- Young athletes aged 12–35 years who underwent a preparticipation examination between 2010 and 2021
- Participants
- 9,254 young athletes
- Exposure
- Males vs females
- Outcome
- Highest R-wave voltages at the 99th percentile in lead V4, V5, or V6
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Sokolow-Lyon (SL) and limb lead (LL) scores (multivariate)
- Male athletes had significantly higher SL and LL scores than females
- Age, sport, ethnicity, and body mass index influenced SL and LL scores, with much weaker effect than sex
Original publication
Sex-specific electrocardiographic criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy in young athletes. Heart Rhythm. Published 13 May 2025. doi:10.
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