.TH GQRS 1 "21 July 2013" "WFDB 10.5.19" "WFDB Applications Guide"
.SH NAME
gqrs, gqpost \- QRS detector and post-processor
.SH SYNOPSIS
\fBgqrs -r\fR \fIrecord\fR [ \fIoptions\fR ... ]
.br
\fBgqpost -r\fR \fIrecord\fR [ \fIoptions\fR ... ]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.PP
\fBgqrs\fR attempts to locate QRS complexes in an ECG signal in the specified
\fIrecord\fR. The detector algorithm is new and as yet unpublished. The
output of \fBgqrs\fR is an annotation file (with annotator name \fBqrs\fR) in
which all detected beats are labelled normal ("N"). The \fIsubtyp\fR,
\fIchan\fR, and \fInum\fR fields of each annotation respectively indicate the
detection pass (0 or 1) during which the QRS complex was detected, the signal
number on which it was detected, and the peak amplitude of the detector's
matched filter during the QRS complex.
.PP
As a QRS detector for research, \fBgqrs\fR has been optimized for sensitivity.
\fBgqpost\fR can post-process \fBgqrs\fR's output annotation file to improve
positive predictivity, generally at a cost of reduced sensitivity. It does
this by copying its input annotation file, changing N annotations into artifact
("|") annotations if they are likely to be erroneous.
.PP
A configuration file shared by \fBgqrs\fR and \fBgqpost\fR can be used to
describe some of the expected characteristics of the ECG signal. This is
unnecessary when processing adult human ECGs, but an appropriately constructed
configuration file allows \fBgqrs\fR to analyze fetal, pediatric, and animal ECGs. A sample configuration file is available (see SOURCES, below); it contains
details about all configurable parameters.
.PP
\fIOptions\fR include:
.TP
\fB-a\fR \fIannotator\fR
[gqpost only] Read annotations from the specified \fIannotator\fR (default:
qrs).
.TP
\fB-c\fR \fIfile\fR
Initialize parameters based on the specified (text) configuration
\fIfile\fR. See the example configuration file, \fIgqrs.conf\fR, for details.
.TP
\fB-f\fR \fItime\fR
Begin at the specified \fItime\fR in \fIrecord\fR (default: the beginning of
\fIrecord\fR).
.TP
\fB-h\fR
Print a usage summary.
.TP
\fB-H\fR
Read the signal files in high-resolution mode (default: standard mode).
.TP
\fB-m\fR \fIthreshold\fR
Specify the \fIthreshold\fR (default: 1.0) for detection [qqrs] or
acceptance [gqpost]. Use higher values to reduce false detections, or lower
values to reduce the number of missed beats.
.TP
\fB-n\fR \fIname\fR
[gqrs only] Save the filtered signals in a new record with the specified record
\fIname\fR.
.TP
\fB-o\fR \fIname\fR
[gqpost only] write annotations to an annotation file with the specified
annotator \fIname\fR.
.TP
\fB-s\fR \fIsignal\fR
[gqrs only] Specify the \fIsignal\fR to be used for QRS detection (default: 0). Note that signals may be specified by number or name.
.TP
\fB-t\fR \fItime\fR
Process until the specified \fItime\fR in \fIrecord\fR (default: the end of the
\fIrecord\fR).
.PP
Note that \fBgqpost\fR always copies its entire input annotation file. The
\fB-f\fR and \fB-t\fR options, if present, only define the interval during which
\fBgqpost\fR may change annotations. Since \fBgqpost\fR can reprocess its own
output, this feature allows multiple passes using different threshold values
and processing intervals, if necessary.
.SH ENVIRONMENT
.PP
It may be necessary to set and export the shell variable \fBWFDB\fR (see
\fBsetwfdb\fR(1)).
.SH EXAMPLES
.PP
To mark QRS complexes in record 100 beginning 5 minutes from the start, ending
10 minutes and 35 seconds from the start, and using signal 1, use the command:
.br
\fBgqrs -r 100 -f 5:0 -t 10:35 -s 1\fR
.br
The output annotations may be read using (for example):
.br
\fBrdann -a qrs -r 100\fR
.PP
To evaluate the performance of this program, run it on the entire record, by:
.br
\fBgqrs -r 100\fR
.br
and then compare its output with the reference annotations by:
.br
\fBbxb -r 100 -a atr qrs\fR
.SH SEE ALSO
\fBbxb\fR(1), \fBecgpuwave\fR(1), \fBrdann\fR(1), \fBsetwfdb\fR(1),
\fBsqrs\fR(1), \fBwqrs\fR(1), \fBxform\fR(1)
.SH AUTHORS
George B. Moody (george@mit.edu).
.SH SOURCES
http://www.physionet.org/physiotools/wfdb/app/gqrs.c
.br
http://www.physionet.org/physiotools/wfdb/app/gqpost.c
.br
http://www.physionet.org/physiotools/wfdb/app/gqrs.conf (sample configuration
file)