Comparisons between patients with IVF and healthy controls
The clinical and ECG characteristics in 35 patients with IVF and 105 age- and sex-matched controls are shown in Table 1. Patients with IVF included 33 men (94%), and the mean age was 42 ± 18 years. The control group included 105 healthy individuals who were matched to patients with IVF based on sex and age (patient:control ratio, 1:3). The frequency of J point elevations ≥ 0.1 mV in the 4th ICS was similar between patients with IVF (14%) and healthy controls (7%) (P = 0.17). However, the frequency of J point elevation ≥ 0.1 mV in the 3rd ICS was higher in patients with IVF (40%) than controls (11%) (Odds ratio [OR], 5.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1–12.8; P < 0.01). Furthermore, the frequency of J point elevation ≥ 0.2 mV in the 3rd ICS was higher in patients with IVF (26%) than controls (3%) (OR, 11.7; 95% CI, 3.0–46.6; P < 0.01). J point elevation was present only in the 3rd ICS but not in the 4th ICS in 30% of patients with IVF and only in 7% of controls (P < 0.01). The frequency of inferolateral early repolarization and the other ECG parameters were not different between the two groups.