The efficacy of routine preoperative electrocardiography in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery

Investigator: Judith van Waes
Principal investigators: Jurgen C. de Graaff & Wilton A. van Klei

Division of Perioperative & Emergency Care, University Medical Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Research Anesthesiology-UMC Utrecht

Welcome to the website of the ECGtrial.

The ECGtrial is study investigating the efficacy of routine preoperative electrocardiography in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.

A preoperative ECG is nearly almost routinely performed by anesthesiologists in elderly non-cardiac surgery patients as part of preoperative assessment. However, the added value of this routine preoperative ECG beyond patient history and physical examination is questionable. Various retrospective studies and editorials have addressed the limited value of preoperative ECG, as anesthesiologists hardly change their practice based on these ECG findings, indicating this practice is cost-ineffective. Although a preoperative ECG is not expensive, given the high volume of non-cardiac surgery, the total costs related to this routine practice are enormous. The ECGtrial is a multicenter randomized study which aims to quantify the cost-effectivess of routine preoperative ECG and to determine whether the preoperative assessment can become more efficient without loss in effectiveness and safety.

ECG survey

To ECG Survey

Steering group

Participating Centers: