Prevalence and correlates of ventricular premature beats detected by ambulatory electrocardiography in working populations

The associations of ventricular premature beats detected on a one-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram with demographic, behavioral, physiologic, and an-thropometric variables were examined in 2,331 factory workers aged 20-69 years. Ventricular premature beats were more prevalent with increasing age and with abnormal resting electrocardiograms. From the age of 40, they were more common among males than among females. An association with ethnicity was observed, ventricular premature beats being most common among Israelis of European origin. In univariate analysis, resting heart rate was inversely associated with the presence of ventricular premature beats for females only. Ambulatory heart rate was positively associated with ventricular premature beats only among males. No associations with smoking habits or relative weight were found. Among males and females with normal electrocardiograms, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significant correlates of ventricular premature beats in univariate analysis and after controlling for age, resting and ambulatory heart rates, and ethnic origin.