Heart-sound screening in children. Use of a portable analog-digital computer (field study--Los Angeles 1966)

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Abstract
The heart sounds of 3,797 school children were analyzed by a new portable analog-digital computer. A small microphone and bipolar electrocardiographic timing leads are the only inputs required for the patient. Heart sounds are analyzed on a beat-by-beat basis. The data are displayed on digital counters and are recorded as within normal limits (WNL) or outside normal limits (ONL) of the computer''s programmed analyzing circuitry. Eighteen percent of the 3,797 students were examined by pediatric cardiologists. Sixteen cases of heart disease and 2 cases of conduction disturbances were detected by the computer. Half of the heart disease cases were previously unknown. No known cases of heart disease were missed by the computer. The false-positive ratio was 5.6%. Immediate analysis of heart sounds offers advantages over the tape-recording method of screening.

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