title: DDD pacing mode survival in patients with a dual-chamber pacemaker.
abstract: Dual-chamber (DDD) pacing mode survival was assessed by reviewing 486 consecutive initial transvenous DDD pacemaker implantations between December 1981 and December 1988 inclusive, with a mean follow-up time of 33 months. The patients' mean age was 71.4 years and 55% were male; 38% had dominant sinoatrial and 62% had dominant atrioventricular (AV) node disease. Nineteen patients (4%) underwent secondary operative intervention for lead dislodgement (n = 11), lead or pulse generator malfunction (n = 6) or infection (n = 2). During follow-up, 87 patients (18%) had their device permanently reprogrammed out of the DDD mode and 10 others (2%) required temporary reprogramming out of this mode; 12 patients who required device reprogramming were managed in other dual-chamber or atrial pacing modes. Reasons for reprogramming included atrial fibrillation (n = 48; 10%); loss of atrial sensing (n = 26; 5%); recurrent "endless loop" tachycardia (n = 5; 1%); lead dislodgement without repositioning (n = 4; 1%); pulse generator malfunction (n = 1; 1%) and other (n = 5; 1%). The occurrence of atrial fibrillation was associated with dominant sinoatrial disease and a prior history of atrial fibrillation; 19% of atrial sensing loss was attributable to early or faulty pacemaker technology. The DDD mode survival rate at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years was, respectively, 90%, 88%, 84%, 79% and 78%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York 10467.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: Z M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Benedek
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology; D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000503:physiopathology; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012849:Sinoatrial Node / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors