Optimization of a 1-lead ECG Collected between the Left Upper-Arm and a Right Finger

Sammanfattning

The electrocardiogram (ECG) is a fundamental examination for diagnosing cardiac pathologies, offering a comprehensive view of the heart's electrical activity from multiple angles. However, current ECG devices are often challenging to implement due to wet electrodes, precise positioning, and bulkiness. To address these limitations, some companies are developing single-lead ECG devices using dry electrodes. In the future, ECG collection could be integrated into a multi-sensor device positioned on the upper arm. This study aims to optimize the collection of a single-lead ECG between the left arm and the right finger. Various materials for dry electrodes (Ag/AgCl, titanium, stainless steel) and different electrode positions on the arm for recording and referencing purposes were compared. The signals were collected from a small population, filtered, and analyzed based on the amplitude of detected waves and defined quality indicators, compared against a reference 12-lead ECG. The results highlight the critical importance of signal filtering and the associated challenges in eliminating baseline drifts and motion artifacts. Titanium emerged as the most suitable material for dry electrodes. Regarding electrode placement, one position proved to be optimal by maximizing the distance between the reference electrode and the negative electrode and keeping the reference as stable as possible. Usability was identified as the most significant factor hindering the stabilization of the signal. This preliminary study demonstrates the potential of collecting ECG signals from the upper arm. While electrode positioning does not appear to yield significant differences between configurations, a broader study involving a larger population, including subjects with cardiac pathologies, is necessary to validate these findings.