Duplicate signal in waveform data

Prerequisites

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Description

Hi,

I'm trying to process a subset of signals in the waveform database for analysis. I wrote some initial code with the assumption that the signal names within each record are unique. After looking into a bug in my code, I've discovered that many records do not have unique signal names. In particular, for these records, the signal Ectopic Status occurs more than once.

I'm doing my analysis using the python wfdb package, but I don't believe this is an issue with the package, as the duplicate signal names exist directly in the .hea files too. Here is one particular record example in the matched database,

import wfdb
rec = wfdb.rdheader("p041002-2194-04-18-11-01n", pn_dir="mimic3wdb/1.0/matched/p04/p041002")
print(rec.sig_name)
>>> ['HR', 'SpO2 Aperiodic', '[62130]_1/3', '[62130]_2/3', '[62130]_3/3', 'PVC Rate per Minute', 'Rhythm Status', 'Ectopic Status', 'Ectopic Status', 'Ectopic Count']

I currently have all the headers from the matched database download locally. Doing a quick search through them reveals 309 records with duplicate records, all of which are for Ectopic Status.

[('p002100-2142-08-09-22-33n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p004290-2117-08-27-10-54n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p004290-2117-08-31-19-14n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p004800-2126-08-24-15-01n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p004800-2126-08-26-13-36n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p006158-2195-06-16-17-22n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p006158-2195-06-17-10-06n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p006497-2152-08-07-01-23n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p006901-2135-04-20-21-56n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p007618-2113-06-24-18-08n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p009238-2160-06-21-18-03n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p009238-2160-06-24-14-31n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p012014-2162-05-21-18-24n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p012014-2162-05-22-13-05n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p012014-2162-05-25-14-09n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p014822-2136-07-10-22-13n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p017735-2173-01-13-06-05n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p018996-2165-06-19-21-01n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p018996-2165-06-20-12-57n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p018996-2165-06-22-13-06n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p019059-2125-05-14-15-50n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p019155-2173-06-16-16-08n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p019155-2173-06-18-11-54n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p019155-2173-06-21-14-10n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p019361-2177-08-04-20-42n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p020922-2114-06-27-14-15n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p022942-2196-03-01-11-59n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p024029-2171-09-26-13-42n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p024552-2159-06-17-00-08n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p024646-2200-08-22-05-46n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p024646-2200-08-22-21-47n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p024646-2200-08-26-12-08n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p025039-2151-07-15-15-07n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p025574-2163-07-05-03-01n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p026837-2187-08-20-23-36n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p026837-2187-08-21-14-48n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p026837-2187-08-22-14-53n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p026837-2187-08-23-10-51n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p026905-2109-07-30-13-04n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p027221-2113-06-06-21-51n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p027223-2101-08-09-13-11n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p027223-2101-08-09-20-04n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p027223-2101-08-11-11-15n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p028291-2132-06-17-14-08n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p028291-2132-06-19-12-05n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p028587-2141-05-26-00-16n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p028721-2161-07-18-18-12n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p028721-2161-07-19-13-25n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p028882-2149-09-10-09-38n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p028882-2149-09-10-11-15n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p029127-2139-05-15-17-58n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p029131-2178-08-10-23-44n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p029131-2178-08-11-18-43n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p029131-2178-08-12-16-07n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p029133-2197-05-27-10-49n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p029148-2180-06-13-16-53n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p029191-2142-06-29-16-38n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p029388-2200-06-16-15-49n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p029468-2172-08-07-17-37n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p030414-2193-07-21-17-21n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p030414-2193-07-22-16-48n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p031439-2136-08-18-14-00n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p031439-2136-08-19-15-07n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p031622-2154-06-23-13-34n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p031651-2193-08-06-20-29n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p031651-2193-08-07-17-37n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p032219-2153-06-06-17-39n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p032427-2161-07-06-13-32n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p032427-2161-07-06-17-46n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p032427-2161-07-07-18-54n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p032495-2186-06-25-11-35n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p032495-2186-06-26-20-00n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p032495-2186-06-27-09-27n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p032495-2186-06-27-17-41n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p032575-2162-06-16-09-59n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p040019-2177-06-23-15-57n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p040102-2145-11-19-15-20n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p040102-2145-11-21-12-25n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p040912-2116-05-14-15-08n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p041002-2194-04-18-10-58n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p041002-2194-04-18-11-01n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p041639-2123-04-28-20-17n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p042251-2180-04-05-22-09n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p042251-2180-04-06-14-41n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p042310-2181-03-17-15-29n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p042310-2181-03-21-12-53n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p042649-2193-05-31-12-32n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p042649-2193-06-05-14-26n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p042747-2153-02-23-19-21n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p043017-2130-07-12-16-23n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p043430-2182-07-05-18-54n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p043430-2182-07-08-21-04n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p043991-2129-10-12-13-41n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p043991-2129-10-12-20-14n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p043991-2129-10-13-17-07n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p044023-2157-09-19-20-56n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p044023-2157-09-20-13-19n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p044023-2157-09-20-17-55n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p044023-2157-09-20-23-49n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p044023-2157-09-21-06-58n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p044023-2157-09-22-19-16n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p046560-2124-07-12-15-16n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p046560-2124-07-15-15-06n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p046878-2129-07-26-11-13n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p046878-2129-07-26-11-36n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p048555-2196-01-15-19-21n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p048821-2148-05-21-16-53n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p048982-2121-05-22-14-42n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p048982-2121-05-23-19-21n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p049098-2122-04-30-16-29n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p049295-2121-06-03-19-33n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p049295-2121-06-04-13-42n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p049295-2121-06-05-09-36n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p049295-2121-06-05-16-25n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p049295-2121-06-09-17-04n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p049295-2121-06-11-11-10n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p050722-2146-05-12-15-08n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p050722-2146-05-18-21-29n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p051039-2129-07-21-10-52n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p051349-2110-06-09-16-48n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p051349-2110-06-10-15-52n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p051625-2149-07-08-12-40n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p051625-2149-07-09-15-07n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p051663-2131-07-10-11-30n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p052118-2145-05-07-17-19n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p052739-2149-10-01-11-10n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p052764-2127-06-26-12-37n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p052807-2126-08-15-09-47n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p052807-2126-08-16-18-46n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p052807-2126-08-18-11-21n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p053023-2196-07-23-18-00n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p053023-2196-07-26-21-06n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p053132-2129-07-05-20-02n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p054636-2158-04-18-16-11n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p054850-2105-06-02-16-19n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p056409-2101-07-18-19-01n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p057052-2189-09-03-17-00n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p057052-2189-09-05-16-18n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p057052-2189-09-07-14-00n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p057052-2189-09-08-11-28n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p057594-2102-03-10-19-22n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p057989-2123-03-09-14-22n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p059199-2111-05-21-10-26n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p059252-2189-09-11-13-09n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p059638-2177-08-07-15-26n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p059638-2177-08-07-19-12n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p059638-2177-08-08-09-38n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p059638-2177-08-13-17-31n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p059797-2124-10-07-02-27n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p059797-2124-10-08-12-28n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p059797-2124-10-10-11-53n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p059930-2187-09-21-17-30n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p060198-2192-06-19-18-57n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p060235-2192-07-05-15-47n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p060985-2102-05-08-16-41n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p060985-2102-05-09-10-15n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p061119-2145-05-03-15-50n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p061648-2180-08-07-17-15n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p061648-2180-08-08-14-29n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p061648-2180-08-09-11-01n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p061648-2180-08-10-10-47n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p061787-2191-02-22-15-26n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p061787-2191-02-23-11-50n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p061802-2159-09-26-13-39n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p061802-2159-09-28-12-00n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p061802-2159-09-28-16-12n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p062186-2158-10-12-00-58n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p062186-2158-10-12-12-14n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p062646-2167-07-08-17-05n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p062646-2167-07-10-18-39n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p062646-2167-07-14-18-54n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p062734-2120-07-02-17-27n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p063245-2142-10-12-15-20n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p063936-2124-05-26-16-56n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p063936-2124-05-30-18-24n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p065057-2124-08-31-16-51n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p065659-2194-04-23-14-01n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p065659-2194-04-30-14-58n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p065659-2194-05-01-17-47n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p066037-2169-02-01-19-15n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p066405-2154-05-24-18-19n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p067343-2174-03-22-18-49n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p067715-2116-05-12-13-40n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p067715-2116-05-12-18-30n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p068385-2199-11-22-18-47n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p068385-2199-11-24-12-29n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p068728-2101-10-11-18-57n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p068728-2101-10-12-10-39n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p069270-2112-06-29-17-39n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p070254-2143-06-13-15-09n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p070520-2162-02-08-19-49n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p070520-2162-02-09-13-47n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p070543-2171-10-18-16-05n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p070543-2171-10-18-17-02n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p070543-2171-10-19-08-31n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p070543-2171-10-19-18-14n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p072280-2199-10-30-13-39n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p072836-2138-07-15-14-46n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p072836-2138-07-15-15-09n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p073320-2200-08-01-13-38n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p074441-2170-11-07-12-32n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p075986-2133-01-09-19-21n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p075986-2133-01-10-17-24n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p075986-2133-01-14-11-24n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p076536-2120-04-20-16-00n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p076800-2109-06-25-17-53n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p076800-2109-06-25-22-04n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p076800-2109-06-26-13-56n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p076800-2109-06-27-11-39n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p077383-2147-08-05-02-39n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p077383-2147-08-05-05-15n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p077383-2147-08-07-12-54n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p077664-2195-07-24-10-53n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p077664-2195-07-24-16-46n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p077960-2196-08-03-14-17n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p078672-2174-05-19-20-48n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p078672-2174-05-24-14-22n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p079183-2120-09-20-15-20n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p079294-2179-11-19-12-19n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p079880-2151-05-07-15-29n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p080824-2135-05-20-15-20n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p081202-2103-06-12-13-11n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p081923-2166-07-25-10-54n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p081923-2166-07-30-12-57n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p081923-2166-07-31-13-07n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p081923-2166-08-20-17-06n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p081923-2166-08-22-16-06n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p082381-2175-06-27-17-29n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p082381-2175-06-27-17-31n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p082381-2175-06-28-11-12n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p082569-2174-08-16-21-03n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p082715-2118-06-16-13-34n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p082715-2118-06-16-13-37n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p083191-2109-09-25-05-50n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p083191-2109-09-25-16-46n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p083773-2107-06-15-20-35n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p083922-2099-06-12-16-38n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p083922-2099-06-14-00-17n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p083922-2099-06-15-20-33n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p084061-2155-08-19-12-46n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p084292-2166-04-17-23-19n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p085125-2153-09-02-05-03n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p085125-2153-09-02-15-56n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p085456-2134-06-17-15-07n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p085506-2189-08-04-16-40n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p085844-2141-09-26-22-18n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p087048-2118-09-14-17-06n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p087048-2118-09-17-11-45n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p087272-2124-06-08-16-25n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p087272-2124-06-09-10-25n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p087825-2132-10-16-14-07n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p087835-2172-05-26-21-10n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p087835-2172-06-02-10-18n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p089277-2196-05-11-12-24n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p089606-2110-10-09-18-04n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p089606-2110-10-10-13-53n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p089894-2175-09-06-12-32n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p089894-2175-09-08-12-23n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090121-2176-05-21-15-50n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090121-2176-05-21-15-54n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090121-2176-05-21-21-28n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090121-2176-05-21-21-33n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090121-2176-05-22-09-56n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090121-2176-05-23-12-12n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090121-2176-05-30-18-54n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090143-2101-07-17-04-38n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090143-2101-07-17-04-40n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090143-2101-07-17-05-02n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090289-2197-08-15-00-27n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090289-2197-08-15-16-20n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090304-2155-06-20-19-11n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090304-2155-06-21-16-13n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090304-2155-06-23-11-08n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090522-2107-08-08-18-00n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090522-2107-08-08-22-13n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p090522-2107-08-09-04-46n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p092098-2109-07-05-13-22n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p092098-2109-07-15-09-16n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p092158-2127-07-14-19-16n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p092158-2127-07-15-18-37n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p092158-2127-07-18-16-00n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p092158-2127-07-19-14-43n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p092158-2127-07-22-22-03n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p092387-2198-08-09-14-20n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p092579-2110-07-16-18-54n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p092796-2164-11-16-17-28n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p092796-2164-11-18-11-31n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p093562-2145-09-17-15-20n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p093636-2192-08-15-17-09n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p093745-2182-08-28-13-41n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p093780-2136-09-05-10-32n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p095129-2161-09-03-00-41n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p095247-2182-05-06-15-50n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p095878-2142-08-18-09-05n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p095997-2156-06-11-18-18n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p096218-2189-05-11-15-50n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p096218-2189-05-12-10-07n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p096218-2189-05-14-18-20n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p096218-2189-05-19-12-02n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p096430-2105-01-23-19-21n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p096430-2105-01-25-11-02n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p096728-2177-06-09-18-27n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p096759-2120-01-06-18-56n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p096984-2136-08-25-15-04n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p097018-2152-07-12-17-59n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p097902-2175-04-17-15-50n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p098390-2184-10-05-20-53n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p099621-2149-07-31-20-47n', 'Ectopic Status'), ('p099777-2167-09-16-17-06n', 'Ectopic Status')]

I'm not sure if this is strictly an issue, but it was unexpected, and I couldn't find any information in the documentation for how to interpret these. So my main questions are:

1. How should we interpret these records with multiple signals for Ectopic Status?
2. Are there any other signal names (in the non-matched database) that could also contain duplicates?

I haven't pulled any more data yet, but the two signals for the one record mentioned above (p041002-2194-04-18-11-01n) look like this (one signal has only one value):

Thanks in advance.

Start with the cited matched-database .hea files and reproduce the example using wfdb.rdheader for p041002-2194-04-18-11-01n. Inspect the 309 records reported with duplicate Ectopic Status signals, then clarify the intended correction or handling before changing data. Done should be demonstrated by consistent signal names or an explicitly documented decision for the affected headers.