title: Cibenzoline versus flecainide in the prevention of paroxysmal atrial arrhythmias: a double-blind randomized study.
abstract: In a randomized, double-blind, parallel clinical trial, the authors tested and compared flecainide and cibenzoline, a new antiarrhythmic drug, on atrial arrhythmias. Sixty-eight patients (36 men, 32 women, mean age 62.5 +/- 1.6 years) with documented symptomatic paroxysmal atrial arrhythmias (fibrillation in 56, flutter in 12) were recruited and received either cibenzoline 260 mg/day (n = 33) or flecainide 200 mg/day (n = 35). Patients were assessed with physical examination, resting ECG, 24-hour ambulatory ECG recording, two-dimensional echocardiography, and standard biologic titrations before the inclusion day, and 3 months and 6 months after the randomization day. Sixteen patients were withdrawn (7 were lost to follow-up, 7 had side effects, 2 had another medical event). Seventeen patients had documented recurrence of atrial arrhythmia (9 in the cibenzoline group, 8 in the flecainide group) during the study. The efficacy of cibenzoline and flecainide for preventing recurrence of atrial arrhythmias was not significantly different (62.5% versus 71.4%). Eleven patients complained of one or more side effects (cibenzoline, n = 6; flecainide, n = 5), justifying leaving the trial in 6 cases (cibenzoline, n = 3; flecainide, n = 3). Two ventricular proarrhythmic effects were observed. No atrial proarrhythmic effects were reported. The efficacy of cibenzoline and flecainide for preventing atrial arrhythmia is good and similar during a follow-up period of 6 months. In view of these results, cibenzoline may be administered first to prevent atrial arrhythmia.
authors.affiliation: Service de Cardiologie, Hôpital Trousseau, Tours, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Babuty
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: D'Hautefeuille
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scheck
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mycinsky
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pruvost
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peraudeau
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D005424:Flecainide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010808:Physical Examination; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D007093:Imidazoles; D005424:Flecainide; C032151:cifenline