Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32883740›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2020

Do sex differences in the prevalence of ECG abnormalities vary across ethnic groups living in the Netherlands? A cross-sectional analysis of the population-based HELIUS study.

Renee Bolijn, C Cato Ter Haar, Ralf E Harskamp, Hanno L Tan, Jan A Kors, Pieter G Postema, Marieke B Snijder, Ron J G Peters, Anton E Kunst, Irene G M van Valkengoed

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
2.4field-weighted citation impact, top 9% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. A heart job: predicting sudden cardiac arrest.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Renee BolijnDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands r.bolijn@amsterdamumc.nl.ORCID 0000-0002-0803-6118
C Cato Ter HaarDepartment of Cardiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Ralf E HarskampDepartment of General Practice, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Hanno L TanDepartment of Cardiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jan A KorsDepartment of Medical Informatics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Pieter G PostemaDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Marieke B SnijderDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Ron J G PetersDepartment of Cardiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Anton E KunstDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Irene G M van ValkengoedDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Amsterdam University Medical Centers · NLErasmus MC · NLLeiden University Medical Center · NLNetherlands Heart Institute · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesMajor ECG abnormalities have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden in asymptomatic populations. However, sex differences in occurrence of major ECG abnormalities have been poorly studied, particularly across ethnic groups. The objectives were to investigate (1) sex differences in the prevalence of major and, as a secondary outcome, minor ECG abnormalities, (2) whether patterns of sex differences varied across ethnic groups, by age and (3) to what extent conventional cardiovascular risk factors contributed to observed sex differences.

designCross-sectional analysis of population-based study.

settingMulti-ethnic, population-based Healthy Life in an Urban Setting cohort, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

participants8089 men and 11 369 women of Dutch, South-Asian Surinamese, African Surinamese, Ghanaian, Turkish and Moroccan origin aged 18-70 years without CVD. OUTCOME MEASURES: Age-adjusted and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to study sex differences in prevalence of major and, as secondary outcome, minor ECG abnormalities in the overall population, across ethnic groups and by age-groups (18-35, 36-50 and >50 years).

resultsMajor and minor ECG abnormalities were less prevalent in women than men (4.6% vs 6.6% and 23.8% vs 39.8%, respectively). After adjustment for conventional risk factors, sex differences in major abnormalities were smaller in ethnic minority groups (OR ranged from 0.61 in Moroccans to 1.32 in South-Asian Surinamese) than in the Dutch (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.36 to 0.65). Only in South-Asian Surinamese, women did not have a lower odds than men (OR 1.32; 95% CI 0.96 to 1.84). The pattern of smaller sex differences in ethnic minority groups was more pronounced in older than in younger age-groups.

conclusionsThe prevalence of major ECG abnormalities was lower in women than men. However, sex differences were less apparent in ethnic minority groups. Conventional risk factors did not contribute substantially to observed sex differences.

Indexed as

EthnicitySex CharacteristicsAdolescentAdultAgedCross-Sectional StudiesElectrocardiographyFemaleGhanaHumansMaleMiddle AgedMinority GroupsNetherlandsPrevalenceYoung Adultcardiac epidemiologyepidemiologypacing & electrophysiologypublic health

Identifiers

PMID32883740
PMCPMC7473628
OpenAlexW3083396086

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.