Prevalence and Associated Factors Of Preoperative Abnormal Electrocardiography Among Older Surgical Patients In Southern Ethiopia: Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Background: The prevalence of abnormal electrocardiography (ECG) increases with aging, and these abnormalities may have an impact on anesthesia management. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of preoperative abnormal electrocardiography among older surgical patients at selected teaching hospitals in southern Ethiopia, from February 15 to June 15, 2022. Methodology: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted on 246 elderly surgical patients. A binary logistic regression model was used, and a P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result: In the current study, 120 (48.78%) of older surgical patients had abnormal preoperative ECGs. In terms of severity, 44.16% were with major ECG abnormalities. The most common ECG abnormalities were left axis deviation, left ventricular hypertrophy, and ST segment changes. The presence of comorbidity (AOR=3.44, P =0.001), age ≥70 years (AOR=2.5, P=0.011), history of angina (AOR=5.9, P=0.011), history of smoking (AOR=5.07, P=0.024) and urban residency (AOR=1.89, P=0.039) were associated factors for an abnormal ECG. Conclusion and recommendation: Our study showed that the prevalence of preoperative abnormal ECG increased with age, even in asymptomatic patients with no risk factors and younger than 65 years. Therefore, a preoperative ECG is advisable in all older patients.