THE HEART IN PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS; ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC CONSIDERATION

Abstract

Of 416 active tuberculosis cases and 55 inactive cases 47 showed a right axis deviation, 119 a left, and 250 none. 38 of the active cases and none of the inactive cases showed arterial hypertension. 45% of the active cases showed significant changes in the QRS complex, the S-T segment or the T wave while none of the inactive cases showed any important abnormality in the electrocardiogram. The electrical axis was apparently influenced by the rotation of the heart on its longitudinal axis. Nutritional disturbances of the myocardium found in pulmonary tuberculosis might account for the increase in duration of the QRS, the deviation in the S-T segment and the T wave changes. The electrocardiogram was frequently the only positive evidence of myocardial disturbance in pulmonary tuberculosis.