[Influence of time (4 years) on the results of programmed ventricular stimulation].
The reproducibility of programmed ventricular stimulation has been previously demonstrated for periods of a few hours to several months. It has not been studied over longer intervals. The aim of this study was to assess the reproducibility of the method at long-term (> 2 years). Forty-six patients with underlying cardiac disease underwent two programmed ventricular stimulations in the absence of antiarrhythmic treatment at intervals of 2 to 6 years (mean 4 years). None of the patients had myocardial infarction or cardiac surgery during this period. The protocol was identical: up to 3 extra-stimuli were delivered in the two right ventricular sites over 3 cycles. Twenty-eight patients had inducible sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia during the first investigation (Group I): the investigation was negative in the remaining 18 patients (Group II). During the second investigation, 26 of the 28 patients in Group I had inducible ventricular tachycardia, the rate of which decreased from 206 +/- 50 bpm to 196 +/- 54 bpm. The induced ventricular tachycardia was slower in 15 patients and faster in 5 patients. The mode of induction was different in 12 cases. In Group II, 4 patients (22%) had inducible sustained ventricular tachycardia at the second investigation. The authors conclude that the reproducibility of programmed ventricular stimulation remains good in the long-term in subjects within inducible tachycardia, demonstrating the stability of the arrhythmogenic substrate; the frequency of this tachycardia is generally slower. In subjects with an abnormal initial investigation who became symptomatic, it may be useful to repeat programmed ventricular stimulation.
Brembilla-Perrot
B
B
Service de cardiologie A, CHU Brabois, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy.
Jacquemin
L
L
Houriez
P
P
Houplon
P
P
Claudon
O
O
Beurrier
D
D
Terrier de la Chaise
A
A
Louis
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000628:therapy*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D004554:Electric Countershock; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular; D013997:Time Factors; D016276:Ventricular Function