In female, the prevalence of ER is lower but reported variously and has been poorly studied in aeronautical medicine. Our study described and evaluated the prevalence and long-term (4 years) evolution of ECG ER pattern in the female population of the French aeronautical staff. This is a retrospective single-center study, conducted over a period of 12 years (1998-2010) at the Centre of Medical Expertise in Navigant Personnel of Hospital of Percy, Clamart, France. The study was conducted from clinical data and through the systematic recording of ECG on a digital database (TRACE MASTER VIEW – PHILIPS ©). The study population included asymptomatic subjects aged >18 years and with no cardiovascular disease. An initial ECG (P1) was recorded in all patients at incorporation and a second 4 years later (P2). ECG were interpreted by 2 cardiologists. The presence of ER is rated “ER+” and its absence “ER-”. On each ECG were recorded: the heart rate (HR), the Sokolow-Lyon index and the corrected QT (QTc) interval. The study population included 306 women. The majority was stewardess (in 95.1% of cases; mean age 25.9±3.3 years). Only 170 subjects (56%) practiced sports up to one hour per week. At P1: PR + prevalence was 9.2%. The most common pattern was “slurring” in 64.3% of cases, in the inferior leads (28.3%). The ST segment is horizontal or descending in 53.6% of patients. At P2, the prevalence of RP+ was 7.5% (a loss of RP+ in 5 patients). At P1, the Sokolw-Lyon index was higher in RP+ patients (p <0.05). This difference was not significant at P2. No difference was found in HR and QTc values between the 2 periods. The population remained asymptomatic during the 4 years. In our young female population, the prevalence of ECG ER pattern was predominantly the slurring type and this aspect varied over time. According to our population evolution, no restriction on the workplace is necessary in asymptomatic aircrew with early repolarization pattern.

The author hereby declares no conflict of interest